Racial Justice

Outrage Over Palm Beach Atlantic University English Professor Fired Over “Racial Justice” In Syllabus!

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A shocking event occurred at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida this week!

This private Christian liberal arts university summarily dismissed an English professor, Sam Joeckel, who had taught at the school for 21 years with no issues or problems, based on a parent of a student complaining that the subject of “racial justice” was a possible written assignment in the curriculum of the course, something that was in the syllabus for the past dozen years or more, without any controversy.

The university does not give tenure, and clearly, promotes a narrow minded view of Christianity, not in any way representative of the teachings of Jesus Christ, but instead wishing to undermine the reality of racial bias that has existed in America throughout its history, right up to the present time!

The professor was denied access to his office, and fired in the middle of a course that his students signed up for to end in late April-early May.

What kind of a message does this send to anyone who attends Palm Beach Atlantic University?

It says college students are not adults, and can have their parents intervene to complain about a professor and his course materials, a total outrage!

It says there is no concern about the rights and common decency that any college professor should have at any university, whether public, private, or religiously based!

It says there is no sensitivity to the reality of multi ethnic America!

This outrage calls for a massive law suit against Palm Beach Atlantic University, as they have done untold damage to the reputation and economic benefit of a dedicated professor, who was treated as garbage!

It calls for a massive boycott of the university, and any decent person who attends there should find another university to continue work towards his or her degree!

The Nightmare Battle For The Republican Presidential Nomination In 2024

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What a nightmare the Republican Party faces in 2024, as trying to find a nominee who is decent, competent, and NOT tied to the disaster of Donald Trump is a long haul!

We begin with Donald Trump himself, who is rapidly losing support, but still has clout in the party, even though he is actually a cancer destroying the image and reputation of the party of Lincoln, TR,Ike, Reagan and George H. W. Bush!

Then we have former Vice President Mike Pence, whose only good deed was counting the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021 properly and correctly, but there is no way imaginable that he could win the Republican Presidential nomination, and his religiosity is a real turn off to moderate voters.

Then there is a slimmed down former Secretary of State and Central Intelligence Agency Head Mike Pompeo, but his admiration of Vladimir Putin insures he is not going anywhere!

Then we have former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who once had stature and respect, but has lost all of that reputation being so much a lackey to Donald Trump, and at the same time, changing her mind regularly on the former President

Then, we have Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, all of whom are competing with each other to be further Right Wing than the others, including warring on truth, history, racial justice, women’s rights, and gay rights, as well as attacking the concept of masks and vaccinations during the COVID 19 Pandemic.

Florida is unique in that it has three Republicans all ambitious enough to think they should be President, including DeSantis, but also Senators Rick Scott (involved in Medicare Fraud), and Marco Rubio, who was a major critic of Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican competition for the Presidency, but has, like most Republican officeholders caved in and given up all principles in bowing to Trump throughout his Presidency, and refusing to strongly condemn the January 6, 2021 Insurrection!

The Senate is full of Presidential wannabes, besides Scott and Rubio, including Insurrectionist promoter Josh Hawley of Missouri, who put up his fist in support on January 6; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; Rand Paul of Kentucky; Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Ted Cruz of Texas; Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; and Tim Scott of South Carolina.

One can add to that list Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

There are also clear anti Trump Republicans, including Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger; Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney; Maryland Governor Larry Hogan; Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse; and Utah Senator Mitt Romney.

Hate Mongering Republican Presidential Candidates Who Would Disgrace The Office Of The Presidency!

Ronald 13 Comments

There are anywhere from 15 to nearly 20 potential Republican Presidential candidates, and one can find faults and shortcomings with most of them, but there are only a few who can be labeled, by their utterances, to be hate mongers, wishing to stir up fear and incite audiences with their rhetoric. One is held accountable for what one says and what he promotes, and therefore, disqualify themselves for the honor of residing in the White House!

Those who would qualify for this dubious “honor” include:

Dr. Benjamin Carson
Texas Senator Ted Cruz
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

All of these five have been reckless in their desire to divide the American people, and have advocated lawlessness and disobedience of the federal government, including the court system and the Supreme Court in particular.

They have promoted hate and fear of gays and lesbians; immigration; women’s rights; racial justice; and have shown no concern about the poor and the sick, particularly on the issue of health care.

Interestingly, all five constantly invoke Christianity in their political pitches, and specifically, hard line Christianity of the evangelical and right wing Catholic variety, a total repudiation of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and a defiance of the principle of separation of church and state under our political system! And they all criticize Pope Francis and his liberal, open minded view of the meaning of Jesus Christ and his teachings!

Any of these five would totally disgrace the office of the Presidency!

Fortunately, it is highly unlikely that any of these five will win the nomination of the Republican Party, but if so, the odds of such an individual winning the Presidency are very low!

50th Anniversary Of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” Speech And The March On Washington!

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It is hard to believe that this weekend, and specifically next Wednesday, four days from now, marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington by a crowd estimated at a quarter of a million people, calling for racial equality and justice.

It was a peaceful march, with a crowd of people of all races, an historic moment on the way to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was a time of the greatness of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr, and his brilliant “I Have A Dream” speech, one of the few greatest speeches ever given by any American in our entire history!

It was a time of hope and optimism, before the tragedy of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr himself, as well as the tragic war in Vietnam, which took 58,000 lives!

It was a time of optimism and a sense of progress, and now, sadly, the same battles fought over race and voting rights haunts us, as the Supreme Court majority, created by Republican Presidents who represent a desire to move backwards on the subject of race, seem to believe that denial of voting rights and the issue of race no longer is of importance in America, when it continues to be a divisive matter that prevents the full development of justice and equality in this nation!

This is a sad time when the Republican Party, which in large measure supported the civil rights legislation of the mid 1960s, now has adopted the old Southern Democratic racist policies that the national Democratic Party repudiated fifty years ago, and the GOP seems unembarrassed that they have become the “poster boy” for racial prejudice and nativism!

So while we celebrate the anniversary, we are still having to fight the battles won, and then lost, due to the party that once boasted of Lincoln, TR, and Ike, and now boasts of despicable leaders who have no shame, including Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, et al, and their ilk!

150th Anniversary Of New York City Draft Riots: A Disgraceful Moment In NYC History!

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150 years ago, starting on July 13 and raging until July 16, New York City saw the worst rioting that had ever occurred up to that time, in the third year of the Civil War, due to the passing of a draft law by the US government, requiring the first ever military draft for all able boded men, unless they were wealthy enough to pay the government $300 to avoid service.

The Irish immigrants in New York City, among the poorest of all ethnic groups in the city, who could not afford the $300 fee, rioted and burned and destroyed, and sadly, set about to kill and lynch African Americans living in the city, blaming them for the Civil War.

At least eleven black men were lynched, but estimates go much higher, and the total loss of life is estimated as being at least 120 but potentially more, with at least 100 blacks being murdered in total.

At least 2,000 people were wounded, and possibly more, and property damage would be estimated in modern terms as at least $75 million. The film GANGS OF NEW YORK portrayed these events in a very dramatic way, and estimated much higher numbers of killed and wounded, and even higher property damage.

Blacks were forced to leave their residences by their landlords, afraid of bloodshed and property damage, and many left the city forever, and never returned, relocating elsewhere!

This was a horrible example of racial violence that has stained the history of New York City, and now, at the 150th anniversary of these terrible events, it becomes clear that racial harmony, racial justice, racial equality has NOT made as much progress as one would like to believe!

Reflections On George Zimmerman And The Future!

Ronald 77 Comments

Now that the George Zimmerman Trial is over, one thinks about the future of this man who used very poor judgment in pursuing an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin.

Certainly, the possibility of a United States Department of Justice Civil Rights lawsuit is a legitimate avenue of action!

Additionally, civil law suits for financial damages can be pursued, and should be considered!

But beyond that, it should be made clear that under NO circumstances should ANYONE work to make the life of George Zimmerman or his family a nightmare in any form!

Neither he nor his family members should have to live under the threat of violence now, or at any point, for the rest of their lives!

Pursuing such threats or violence would undermine the whole point of why the trial was pursued, as it would sully the memory of this young man who was doing nothing wrong, and was profiled because he was black!

Everyone should leave George Zimmerman and his family alone permanently, other than available legal alternatives, and realize one thing that is clear.

The life of George Zimmerman will, even if left at peace, hopefully, will never be the same, as he will be recognized; will have his obituary with the first paragraph and heading mentioning his involvement in this tragedy; and in his heart of heats, his conscience, he will always have some guilt for his actions which took a human life unnecessarily!

But please, everyone who reads this entry on this blog, leave George Zimmerman and his family alone, and leave it to the courts for any further resolution, and if those further legal motions fail to gain a desired result, accept the reality and pursue the memory of Trayvon Martin in commitment to the further promotion of civil rights in a peaceful, orderly manner!

Condolences To The Family Of Trayvon Martin: Racial Justice Has A Long Road To Travel!

Ronald 12 Comments

The decision of the jury in the George Zimmerman Trial in Sanford, Florida, finding him not guilty in the killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, is a tragedy of major proportions, and my condolences to the family of Martin, who will not see racial justice in his death!

There is no question that racial profiling was part of the mindset of George Zimmerman, and that IF Trayvon Martin had been white, this tragedy would not have happened!

So as this author said just yesterday, any young black male from age 14 to 35 is an endangered species, and any one who has a racist intent can feel free to shoot and kill such a person and claim self defense!

So it means that every black parent has to live in constant fear of the demise of their sons because we have a crazy system which allows the use of firearms by people who should not have such firearms, and with the recognition that fifty years after the March on Washington, racial justice still has a long road to travel!

Just because we have a black President does not mean that the fight for racial justice, racial equality, and equal treatment under the law has been won, far from it! It is clear that battle will continue long into the future, but this is not the time to despair, but instead to regroup and organize for the struggle ahead for all decent people in this nation!