Archive for July 29th, 2015

29
Jul
15

This Is What Cold Blooded Murder Looks Like

Eric

This rash of police murders of unarmed AA citizens is the perfect illustration of the institutional racism against Black folks that has plagued this country since its founding. The predominate view among cops in this country is that Black life is worthless. They kill a Black person with all the emotion exhibited in killing a fly. This dehumanization finds its roots in chattel slavery, where the ruthless exploitation of Black slaves required the oppressor strip the oppressed of his/her humanity. While I am glad the prosecutor decided to do the right thing and find his statements welcome, we must accept that this is an anomaly, a break from the norm. The swiftness of his decision tells me that the Baltimore Prosecutor Mosby set a precedent that is being followed. Her bravery and truth telling has thankfully inspired imitation. I also think that the Baltimore rebellion (I reject the “riot” label the oppressor uses) and the fear of further Black rebellions has made “doing the right thing” a bit easier (opposed to the “always back the cop” status quo). As has always been the case, the family of the latest victim is pleading for peaceful protests. God are we a forgiving people. These families are to be commended for their collective GRACE and selflessness. I fear however that if these police murders of unarmed Black citizens continues the odds are one victim’s family will advocate a violent response which could ignite a racial powder keg in this country. With each police murder, the fuse is getting shorter and shorter.

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29
Jul
15

First Lady Michelle Obama Discusses Education

29
Jul
15

“We Will Not Be Afraid”

Protester

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CEB

The rules change, the goal posts are moved, and terrorism greets anyone who excels or tries to stand up for him/herself. White society has to do this to maintain their idea of racial superiority. What excuses will the lazy, poor, and willfully ignornant- among them will have if there is true equality? The most ragged-mouth, uncouth, poorly educated, sickly pale, hump-backed on- welfare white person has to believe that his whiteness alone makes him better. It keeps him poor and ignorant and the 1% who uses them as a weapon wealthy and powerful. He who shall not be named, who assassinated 9 people who were smarter and more accomplished than he, is a perfect example of this.

Rosa Parks Obama

One of the best things that resulted from the push for integration in public places, was for A-A people to see that the mysterious, all-powerful white man, especially in the South, is a myth. We learned that many of us were smarter and more accomplished than many of them were. That we could go to ivy league schools and excel, own beautiful homes, send our children to high-performing schools, and take vacations in beautiful places here and abroad. All that so many of them have is their whiteness, which has no intrinsic value whatsoever. They are killing us because we are beautiful, brilliant, talented, and not afraid of them. We refuse to lower our eyes, to move off the sidewalk, to give up our positions, or to give them unearned respect. They cannot kill all of us and their days of terrorism are numbered. They have the cops, the media, and the power brokers, but we have right and the might of courage and determination. Barack Obama is not an anomaly; we have many like him in the A-A community. We will not be afraid, we will not be moved, we will not be denied, we will not leave the country, we will not apologize for our existence. We are American citizens and we are here to stay and to flourish.

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29
Jul
15

bt on a break, so ….

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What has Obama’s visit done for Africa?

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When Barack Obama stepped off Air Force One in Kenya it felt like a moment of affirmation and an opportunity to use the US president’s words to “call on the world to change its approach to Africa”.

As a continent, it depends less on aid now than it did in the past. Instead many countries which make up Africa are increasingly being seen as a global partner, not a minority shareholder in generating wealth, fighting terrorism and climate change.

Mr Obama made it clear that such a partnership demanded recognition, dignity and respect.

He argued that, in return, African nations needed to embrace the principles of equality, meritocracy and opportunity for all. Even if at times it grated with “the old ways of doing things” or challenged traditional beliefs.

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But the US president also used the Africa tour as an opportunity to deliver some uncomfortable messages. Conspicuous by their absence were many heads of state at the Chinese built African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa - maybe that was just as well.

In what was the strongest performance on tour, the president seemed like a man with nothing to lose. With just a little over a year in office to go he knew he could perhaps be more bold, despite diplomatic difficulties he would have to navigate carefully.

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Mr Obama made it clear that America would not be a lone voice rebuking its African friends when they strayed from the path of democracy.

He said he expected African leaders to do the same, through the African Union. For many years it’s been slammed by critics as being nothing more than a “talking shop”.

Perhaps the test of its mettle will be how it responds to the pressing troubles in South Sudan.

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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33699183

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