African Americans

Conservative Counter-Revolution Against 20th-21st Century Constitutional Law!

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America is facing a conservative counter-revolution against 20th-21st Century Constitutional law!

We have Supreme Court Justices and their right wing ideologues who wish to bring back the 18th century Constitutional Convention of 1787, a time when women were totally under the control of their fathers, husbands, or other male relatives.

They also want to bring America back to a time when African Americans were slaves, or if that is not tenable, then back to the era of segregation and lynching.

They also want to bring America back to a time when interracial marriage and gay marriage were forbidden.

They also want to bring America back to a time when there was no right of privacy, because such a term was not mentioned in the Constitutional Convention or in the document produced for ratification in 1787.

The concept of originalism is preposterous, that all constitutional law since 1787 is null and void unless it applies to the exact language adopted 235 years ago!

It would put America back to a time when democracy was only for white male Protestants of property!

This battle is one that must be fought all the way to victory, as otherwise, how is America any different than an authoritarian dictatorship, run with the backing of powerful corporations and wealthy people, and based on the concept of theocracy, allowing so called “religious” values to dictate the lives of 330 million Americans?

Long Overdue: The Emmett Till Anti Lynching Act, Making Such Action A Federal Crime!

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Emmett Till was a 14 year old African American boy from Chicago visiting Mississippi in 1955, when a white woman claimed he whistled at her and tried to grab her.

Her husband and his half brother arranged for this young boy to be kidnapped, tortured, and murdered, with his face and body left in horrific condition, which was revealed in an open casket at the funeral. Sadly, the two men were found not guilty by an all white jury, although years later, they admitted to the killing, and the woman admitted she had lied about Till making a pass at her.

Lynchings had gone on in the South since after the Civil War, and legislation had been introduced regularly since 1900, and finally, the act of lynching was made a federal crime, punishable by 30 years in prison, and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Lynching was used as a tactic even in states outside the South, and while African American males were the major victims, there were also Jews, Italians, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans who were subjected to such heinous crimes, most often without accountability. And there have been recent examples in the past thirty years of gay Americans being victimized.

This legislation gained all but three votes in the House of Representatives, and a unanimous vote in the US Senate, and marks the end of a long fought battle to deal with lychings in more than 4000 cases from 1877 to 1950.

The killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in 2020 was a recent example of what is perceived as a lynching, but done by firearms rather than hanging or beating. But the men involved were convicted and sentenced to life in prison, thankfully.

Racial hatred remains a disease in America, but now, at least justice is served with federal legislation.

The War On Learning Truth And Reality In Schools And Libraries: The Dangerous Censorship Movement!

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American public education and public libraries are facing a massive crisis of extremist right wing ideology promoting censorship, preventing truth and reality of history, science, and free thought to flourish.

The attack is on against teaching the truth of racism against African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the widespread antisemitism against Jews over the history of America.

White Supremacists want to wipe clean the truth about slavery and racial segregation, mass extermination of native peoples, and even the facts and reality of the Nazi Holocaust in World War II.

They express concern for the feelings and insecurities of white children that they believe will have guilt over the historical past, when that is preposterous!

What all children should have is an awakening of their minds to the horrors of the past so as to be able to deal with them in a far better manner in the future, but covering up for past wrongs is never the answer, as ignorance is NOT bliss!

The same applies to sexuality, the thought that somehow children cannot handle the recognition of sexual expression, not only heterosexual, but also gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals, as expressed in literature. This censorship on such matters only endangers children who will be treated as if their inner feelings have no significance, and sadly, will lead to more suicides and mental illness!

And allowing religion to replace science, and to repudiate science, as so many antivaxxers promote, is dangerous in the struggle against the COVID 19 Pandemic, as well as undermining the fight against global warming and climate change!

The Republican Party Has Become A Full Blown Fascist Party, Warring On Women, Minorities, Immigrants, Labor, The Environment, And More!

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Sad to say, but it is now clear that the Republican Party in Congress and in many states has become a full blown Fascist Party, warring on women, minorities, immigrants, labor, the environment, and all decent, humane tendencies. They appeal to mob rule and violence!

Of course, there are exceptions, so those Republicans could best be defined as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), the name given to them by the Fascist oriented Republican office holders.

The Republican Party broadly has refused to recognize and respect women’s rights, which includes the right to control their own bodies and reproduction choices. They claim they are Pro Life when they are unconcerned about the quality of life of anyone other than the elite wealthy upper class! And once a fetus is born, these Fascist Republicans have no concern about their quality of life, including their health care, education, and housing!

The Republicans appeal to struggling whites by promoting the Christian religion, when they totally distort the whole meaning of the teachings of Jesus!

They appeal to the racist beliefs of whites who want to blame African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and also Jewish Americans for the lack of progress of so many. Particularly, rural whites are manipulated by Republicans so they can keep their power by gerrymandering and distorting the Electoral College, even when they cannot win national popular elections!

The idea that America is an immigrant nation has been destroyed by Republicans who are too willing to blame new immigrant groups, as earlier groups were blamed for the shortcomings in society. These were caused by greedy capitalists and corrupt politicians, who want power, and will do anything venal to gain it and keep it, while ignoring the many issues of degradation and struggle for survival and advancement in American society.

And in the name of greedy American capitalism, Republicans refuse to deal with climate change and global warming, and have no concern about the effect on the environment, as along as they can enrich themselves, and ignore the future, and reject science and facts!

So many of the Republican officeholders are wretched excuses for human beings, and have not a bit of empathy, compassion, decency, or humanity, and promote hate, division, and hide the crimes that have occurred under Donald Trump, and on January 6, 2021!

They will do anything to cover their sins and crimes, and they must be defeated in 2022 and 2024 to preserve the American republic and the concept of democracy, not only for Americans, but as a model for the world in the future!

The Horrors Of The California Recall Election For Governor: The Threat Of Right Wing Extremist Larry Elder!

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On Tuesday, September 14, California, the largest state in population, once again faces the disgrace of a Gubernatorial Recall election, as they did in 2003, when Grey Davis was recalled, and Arnold Schwarzenegger became Republican Governor of the “Golden State”!

While that recall election was something that should not have happened, thankfully, Schwarzenegger turned out to be a moderate, reasonable governor for more than seven years.

Now, however, a horror awaits the state and the nation, if right wing extremist talk show host Larry Elder, who is African American but repudiated by the vast majority of people of his heritage, is somehow catapulted into the governorship. Based on recent public opinion polls, Elder is the number one alternative, if a majority of those who vote reject the sitting governor, indicating a wish for a change after less than three years in office for Governor Gavin Newsom.

One does not have to agree with everything Newsom has said and done to realize what a mockery and a horror it would be if this incompetent and dangerously reckless talk show host, somehow ends up on top of the heap after the Recall vote is counted!

Elder is so far Right, it is shocking that he has any chance of becoming Governor in a state heavily Democratic in population, and in the state legislature, and in the House of Representatives delegation, and with two Democratic Senators.

And it is not just the danger to Governor Newsom, but also the reality that Senator Dianne Feinstein, who clearly has dementia at age 88, and should resign but has not resigned, could be replaced if she does resign, or become incapacitated, or die, and that would tip the balance to a Republican US Senate!

There will be more discussion and development in the news media and by this blogger and author about the extremism and craziness of Larry Elder, but for now, the move has to be to get the votes out in California to insure that Gavin Newsom remains as Governor of the state!

Republicans Are A Dinosaur, Only Representing White Rural Areas, Wealthy, Bigots, In Nation Rapidly Changing

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The Republican Party has become a shell of its old self, and is no longer truly representative of conservative ideology.

It no longer is concerned about deficits and increase in the national debt, except when the Democratic opposition is in power.

It no longer concerned about national defense, as many of its present officeholders have attacked the military leadership for standing up to insurrectionists who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, including General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff being criticized by the likes of Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, and Fox News Channel talk show hosts.

It is no longer concerned about truth and facts, as it attacks science knowledge and historical knowledge, and is unconcerned about global warming and climate change.

It is no longer concerned about racial equality and fairness, part of its founding principles under Abraham Lincoln.

It no longer appeals to millions of African Americans, Hispanic-Latino Americans, college educated suburbanites, urban areas, the middle class, women voters, and the younger generation.

They are more concerned about rural areas, where most people are whites, but can wield power due to gerrymandering, and the ability to control the Electoral College and the US Senate, where democracy has been under attack, and favors fewer voters nationally.

They are more concerned about representing those who hate immigrants, and people of color, and want to control women’s reproductive choices.

They are appealing to the extremely wealthy and powerful corporations, while working to undermine workers’ rights and labor unions.

They want to promote mind control and dictate to educators how science and history are taught.

They represent a dwindling white population stirred to fear by bigots in the Republican Party, who wish to resist the rapidly changing population which in 2045, will be a majority minority, with people of color together being the majority, and particularly so with people with Hispanic-Latino heritage.

The Republican Party Base Is Anti Immigrant, But They Are Also Anti Science And Anti Historical Fact!

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The Republican Party base is anti immigrant (nativist), and has prevented immigration reform, despite the efforts over the years of Republicans, such as John McCain and George W. Bush to deal with the issue, alongside Democrats, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and a multitude of others.

It is also anti Science, allowing right wing evangelical Christians to utilize mind control, and to attack evolution a century after the Scopes Trial, and to be anti vaccine and anti mask advocates, and also anti climate change, along with attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci.

And the Republican Party base is also anti history, wanting to promote a “white” history, without discussion of the horrendous treatment and abuse of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic-Latino Americans, and Asian Americans over the long run of American history.

The situation for teachers of the Social Sciences and American history, and also of American literature teachers who assign fiction that depicts and informs us of horrible mistreatment and racial language, is in crisis, as many teachers will lose their positions as state governments in many of the states dictate how their curriculums are to be controlled and presented.

Lawsuits are beginning by teachers’ unions and other groups to stop censorship of the truth, but the Republican Party base promoting “Know Nothingism” on immigration, science and history are an attack on academic freedom that must be fought through all legal means!

21 States Are Mounting Efforts Restricting Education On Racism, Bias, Contributions Of Specific Racial Or Ethnic Groups!

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It is extremely alarming that at least 21 states, and counting, are mounting efforts to restrict education on Racism, Bias, and Contributions of specific racial or ethnic groups in the teaching of American history (Social Studies) in public schools at all levels. This is occurring in Republican governed states.

This includes the Southern and Border States of Arkansas, Florida Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.

It also includes the Midwestern states of Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, and South Dakota.

It also includes the Western states of Arizona, Idaho, Montana and Utah, and the New England states of New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

At the same time, at least 9 states are working to expand education on Racism, Bias, and Contributions of specific racial and ethnic groups, including the Northeastern states of Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey; the Midwestern states of Illinois and Minnesota; and the Western states of Colorado, Washington, Wyoming, and California.

To forbid truthful discussion of Slavery; Jim Crow Segregation Laws; Racial Violence Against African Americans; Mass Murder of Native Americans; Anti Hispanic and Anti Asian discrimination; and Discrimination Against Women is promoting a Big Lie, that none of this happened, and continues to be a reality!

Truth and Facts matter, and to promote Right Wing propaganda is outrageous, and makes the job of teachers of History and Social Studies an impossible position!

The Assassination Of Robert F. Kennedy 53 Years Ago Transformed The Future Of America!

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The world changed on June 5, 1968, 53 years ago, when Democratic Presidential contender, Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York, was assassinated in Los Angeles.

This author has written about that tragic event in his 2015 book, 2017 in paperback—ASSASSINATIONS, THREATS, AND THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: FROM ANDREW JACKSON TO BARACK OBAMA (Rowman Littlefield Publishers).

While there was no certainty that RFK would have been the Democratic Party nominee in 1968, or that he would have been able to defeat Richard Nixon, many observers believe his death was a turning point that transformed the future of America!

RFK had been able to put together a coalition of working class whites, as well as African Americans and Hispanic Americans, and he was inspiring many young people to engage in the campaign, including those opposed to the war in Vietnam under Lyndon B. Johnson.

While no winner of the Presidency could, in reality, be expected to accomplish all the goals that had been set, there was great optimism and hope that RFK would have been a transformative President.

Instead, the right wing of the Republican Party won out under Richard Nixon, who appealed also to many George Wallace supporters, and Hubert Humphrey, despite his wonderful record of commitment, was lost in the anti war movement opposition to LBJ.

The next fifty years would be dominated by conservatives who wanted to push the nation backward, and the battle for Democrats has been to overcome their impact, and the battle is presently engaged under Joe Biden, at a very difficult time with Donald Trump promoting the “Big Lie”, that he won the election.

So America is in crisis, and Biden, having the same birthday as RFK, but 17 years later birth, is trying to bring about what RFK was promoting a half century ago!

Texas State Legislature Has Gone Totally Bonkers On So Many Issues!

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Texas has a long history of racism against African Americans and Latino Americans, but the state has gone way beyond those reprehensible examples of prejudice and hatred.

Now they are making it ever more difficult for people of color to be able to vote in future elections.

They have also made abortion practically impossible with their newly enacted laws that prevent a woman after six weeks, long before most would even know they are pregnant, from being able to have an abortion, and already, the number of abortion providers has been restricted in recent years.

Also, all restriction on guns are coming to an end, which alarms law enforcement professionals.

And the state is making it clear that teachers of the social sciences are not permitted to teach about the true history of America and of Texas, the realities of slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and about the extermination of native Americans, and other unpleasant truths, what the opponents call “critical race theory”. Instead, only a patriotic version of history is to be taught, which will hamstring teachers, and yet will not, necessarily, prevent students from learning the truth elsewhere, and wish to discuss it in classes.

As an historian and political scientist for a half century, if this author and blogger were much younger, he would be unable to “practice his craft”, teach truth and facts, and this is totally outrageous!

Lawsuits on all of these issues are essential, as Texas is undermining the rule of law in so many ways!