Category Archives: Race

Time to ‘Lock Him Up’!

In the latter part of the 2022 midterm election campaign season, Republicans reached into their racist playbook to raise a false flag about “crime,” a tried and true euphemism that frames Black people as the so-called “criminals” telling white American voters to be afraid and vote for the GOP. The goal of Republicans using this trope is to reinforce a militarized police state that targets Black people for containment, i.e., arrest, incarceration, and death. The starkness of this assertion is intentional and lays a foundation for my next one, a suspected criminal, namely trump, and his uncanny ability to remain lawless regardless of the multitude of laws he has likely broken. Besides, there is plenty of empirical data showing that the U.S. judicial system is not blind, specifically not color blind, and the GOP’s 2024 presumptive nominee for president is case in point. He continues to walk about freely primarily because he is a white male with means holding political power all while fomenting hate, bigotry, and violence. In fact, white male privilege borne out of systemic white supremacy is common and remains pervasive throughout the U.S.

To date, there are multiple legal cases against the bloviating huckster, yet only four key criminal investigations. What thrills me beyond words is that some of the brave souls attempting to hold the reality TV personality criminally accountable are Black people, two from New York, DA Alvin Bragg and AG Letitia James, and one from Georgia, DA Fani Willis. We’ll see if Jack Smith, a white male prosecutor, lives up to his lauded reputation. It is clear that DJT is infuriated to know that it’s Black people and women who may end up putting him behind bars. His clear threats targeting Alvin Bragg demonstrate a willingness to use violence to avert prison and further undermine the U.S. democracy. It’s beyond time for this particular criminal to get his just dessert. Lock him up!

Jim Crow 2.0

As an American citizen and upon living most of my adult life in a racist and increasingly fascist racial caste system, it’s plain that Whites who fear loss of power and economic dominance will stop at nothing to keep it including resorting to violence. White supremacist ideology is a hatred that impacts too many hearts and minds in the so-called United States of AmeriKKKa. The current attack on Advanced Placement African American studies is its current offense.

I can recall many years ago that I told a colleague, an Ethiopian immigrant woman, who esteemed herself better than me (perhaps due to pedigree or station in life), that when White people “feel” threatened, they will resort to violence, murder. She seemed genuinely surprised at my declaration, possibly because she did not recognize its truth, or because until that point in her life no Black American, a member of the African diaspora, had dared to confront her with the harsh realities of AmeriKKKan racism. Reflecting on these realities led me to this Washington Post article regarding the revival of anti-Black fascism in AmeriKKKa. States’ attempts to stop AP African American studies courses only serve to heighten the awareness of this important and necessary curriculum.

Like most Black people in AmeriKKKa, I too have personally experienced racial hatred at several points in my life, some overt, but mostly they were subtle forms of racism, e.g., a job denial or a discouragement to even try, a harsh judgment regarding my character or nature, or even the general underestimation of my intellectual capacity. Growing up in New England (back in the day) it was the more overt forms of racism usually racial epithets in the form of “nigger” or “go back to Africa” a place to which I’d never been. Nonetheless, these things rarely deterred me, given my resilient nature and capacity to stand. A Black person standing and not bowed down is also something a white supremacist hates. It’s a sure sign to these ignorant souls of a loss of control that must be put down at all costs.

Once again fascist, racist haters are banning books and preventing the truth about AmeriKKKan history from being taught in school. After all, white supremacist haters must control the narrative at all times, the primary reason it was illegal to teach Black people to read during slavery. AmeriKKKa’s anti-Black propaganda and the relentless dehumanizing of Black people have been effective tactics for centuries. Sadly, some Black people have also bought in, like the corrupt Black cops who murdered Tyre Nichols.

At this stage, I believe that until the so-called United States of AmeriKKKa repents and atones for its original sin of slavery and its brutality compounded by Jim Crow apartheid and white supremacist hate, she will not survive or thrive. Reverend Wright was right (look it up). There comes a reckoning. AmeriKKKa is like a drug addict that can’t kick the habit. One day, that drug of racism will destroy you, and it will be your own fault. First, your image and glory are marred, but then your wealth is destroyed (that thing you love) because you won’t turn to do what is right. Oh, well.

So, where does AmeriKKKa go from here if it doesn’t change? Down and likely out of its dominant and influential position in the world. It’s already begun.

Amerikkkan Barbarism

 

Barbaric! Racist. Fascist. These words define the current regime in the White House and its zero tolerance policy. The insidious policy of the 45 regime separating families of asylum seekers is evil and disgusting! Some of the immigrant families entering the United States have entered outside of the official entry points because official ports of entry choke the flow of these immigrants. This action has forced asylum seekers to wait days or weeks to enter the country forcing more danger upon them to fall prey to harsh elements and brutal smugglers.

The United States, through its racism and apathy, allowed a fascist, racist dictator to assume power, and take my word for it, he will not relinquish that power willingly. The man occupying the White House, 45 aka trump, a name I will not to mention again in this piece, is a Putin spy and Russian oligarch.

I did quite a bit of writing during the Obama years because I was hopeful that America had turned a corner in matters concerning race. It did not. The white backlash that empowered 45 has crushed many hopes and given rise to hate, misogyny and authoritarianism. I said it plainly in previous posts, Republicans no longer want democracy, they want autocracy with whites in control. Their basic fear is too many black and brown people in the country and our numbers continue to rise. In the era of 45, I am thoroughly persuaded that my assertions are correct.

Concentration camps in the United States are the latest sure sign of the fascist racism of the 45 regime. This would not be happening if immigrants arriving at the southern border were white. The inhumane evil of concentration camps, like the tent camp located in Tornillo, Texas is taken directly from the Joe Arpaio playbook. Ironically, the meaning of the word tornillo is a small tree with spirally twisted pods, also known as the screwbean. Essentially, immigrants and asylum seekers are being screwed. Is it coincidence that a migrant concentration camp has been set in this remote location? I think not.

If you want a better United States, stand against this evil. Contact your representatives in Congress at 202-224-3121 and demand their action against this barbaric practice of separating families. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a Texas nonprofit group helping families separated at the border. Please donate and #KeepFamiliesTogether.

Are Trump Voters Crazy?

The Washington Post proves that Trump voters really are quite crazy. Remember, during the GOP primaries, Donald proclaimed that he loved the “poorly educated”. The Donald’s campaign was far more about hate and malice than whether or not the electorate was educated, but it is quite clear from the results that ignorance is not bliss. 

Trump supporters choose to live in a bubble, an alternate reality, a world that is white male dominant and supremacist under the guise of religious freedom. These are the same people that rail against Islamic Sharia law, while imposing their perverse brand of so-called Christianity upon America. This is nothing new after all. Christianity was used to justify slavery, then Jim Crow and now the fool who just won the White House.

Watch “Full Speech: Hillary Clinton Anti-Trump Speech in Reno, Nevada (8/25/2016) Hillary Rally in Reno” on YouTube

Thank you Hillary Clinton for the speech you delivered at your really in Reno, Nevada! It takes a lot of courage for someone to make a speech that exposes the racist underbelly of the United States of America. During Hillary’s presidential campaign and throughout most of her public life, she has reached out to, worked with and supported black Americans. In her early career, she went door-to-door in my hometown in Massachusetts while working with the Children’s Defense Fund. Her methodical indictment of Donald Trump’s rhetoric and marriage to the white supremacist hate movement in America was powerful and effective.

Last August, I wrote a piece called Dangerous Donald, and my assertions could not have been more prescient. Many in the press, and in politics did not take Donald’s run for the presidency very serious. But, here we are a year later, and he’s the Republican nominee. He’s destroying the GOP with every racist word and misdeed, and it is well-deserved.

I applaud Hillary Clinton for making this speech at this particular moment in her campaign for the presidency especially since ‘thedonald’ has made his so-called  “pivot” in an effort to soften his image while disingenuously courting the black vote, and picture this, to all-white audiences using every stereotypical, dog-whistle talking point that he can muster. I repeat, Trump is dangerous, and not just to black Americans, but all Americans, and to the world at large.

Now the media and scared GOP politicians want to sanitize the white supremacist mob that has taken over their Party with the ascendancy of their nominee. In doing so, they use the term Alt-Right. The Southern Poverty Law Center defines the alternative right. 

The Alternative Right, commonly known as the Alt-Right, is a set of far-right ideologies, groups and individuals whose core belief is that “white identity” is under attack by multicultural forces using “political correctness” and “social justice” to undermine white people and “their” civilization.

What I know, racism and hate under any name is still racism and hate. We need to call out this evil, divisive hate whenever it rears is ugly head. I’m glad that we have at least one responsible, qualified presidential candidate in Hillary Clinton to speak out against white supremacists as they attempt to stage their coup against the American people. 

Black Churches Burning

Black Churches Burned as of 7.4.2015

Whatever points Nikki Haley made on the national stage after the assassination of State Senator, Reverend Clementa Pinckney and the cold-blooded murder of eight congregants of the Mother Emmanuel AME Church have been lost with her premature, yet emphatic defense of the most recent black church burned in Greeleyville, South Carolina. Mt. Zion AME Church was burned to the ground on June 30, 2015. A total of eight black churches have been burned since the murders at Mother Emanuel on June 17th.

MSNBC questions the assertions made by the South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, that the church was struck by lightning. Joy Reid of MSNBC reports that the investigation is still ongoing by the local fire department, and that a determination has not yet been made of the origin of the fire. The MSNBC Black Churches Burning  video details the latest in this ongoing terrorist attack upon black churches in the south.

I absolutely do not believe Nikki Haley’s feigned tears at the loss of nine precious souls on June 17th at Emanuel AME Church. As an Indian American, it is clear that Nikki Haley has adopted the rhetoric, demeanor and denial of malicious racism perpetrated by southern white supremacists in order to maintain her power seat.

I still marvel that black Americans choose to live in southern states.

We Don’t Deserve Mr. Obama!

The United States of America does not deserve President Barack Hussein Obama. Other nations have said as much, and I am here to lend my amen. President Barack Obama ran on an idealistic platform of hope and change. Those disillusioned by the current reality should take a look in the mirror. We the people have failed this president . We have not been the change that this country needed. We have allowed old racist mentalities to prevail. A mentality that essentially fears any black person that does not cower or any black person that demonstrates above average intelligence. The racist code words of today are “uppity” and “professorial” each attributed to Mr. Obama. The latter just means that he is smarter than most and that his intelligence is resented by the privileged and the ignorant alike.

In 2009, Barack Obama came into office with a vision of hope and change for America, but Americans have persisted with racist attitudes that summarily have dashed hopes, and limited the first black president’s ability to bring about the change that is so desperately needed in our country. We are not post-racial, we are racist, sexist, violent and greedy! In 2010 and now in 2014, those who did vote made sure that they checked the power of the first black man in the White House. Democrats didn’t turn out the vote in 2010, and they ran away from the President in 2014. Democrats lost big in both mid-term elections, but even more so in 2014 relinquishing power to the Republicans in both houses of Congress. Losing the Senate presents a major challenge to governing in the last two years of the Obama Administration.

Mr. Obama came to power at one of the worst points in US history and he had to hit the ground running. Indeed, Cush has been running hard and well since 2009. Under the eight years of Bush, we were subjected to terrorist attacks, two wars, mounting deficits and an economic crash. Isn’t it curious that the United States of America was willing to elect the first black president when it seemed that the country was going off the cliff. Now that Mr. Obama has accomplished so much and brought the country back from the brink — passed Obamacare, brought soldiers home from two wars, saved the US economy that has now created jobs for 52 consecutive months, reduced the deficit, bailed out the auto industry, brought down the unemployment rate and, yes, I’ll give him credit for low gas prices too, it seems Democrats and definitely Republicans are all too eager to move on to 2016. It is perplexing that Democrats could not find one thing to run on as it pertains to Mr. Obama’s record during the 2014 mid-terms. Eric Holder is right, Americans are cowards when it comes down to confronting issues of race. The 2014 red state, mid-term elections brought out the profound cowardice and liberal race bias in Democrats. They would not dare run on the black president’s record in red America because these red Americans digest Fox news like a meth addict. These southern and plains states Americans, also known as the “real America” by the likes of Sarah Palin, have wholeheartedly embraced Lee Atwater’s Southern Strategy.

Then there’s the Cromnibus bill, also known as the continuing resolution omnibus spending bill which  was vigorously debated in Congress prior to its passage in both the House and the Senate. Democrats were up in arms, and rightly so, because of the proposed repeal of Dodd-Frank that was drafted by Citigroup and snuck into the bill at the last minute. But, don’t be mad at Obama or blame the president when he lobbies for the bill to pass. You did not vote. When you don’t vote, the wrong Party gets in power. Elections matter. So now, it’s pass this undesirable bill to keep the government open, or wait six months for the Republicans, when they control both houses of Congress, to draft and even uglier, more draconian bill. Vote next time so you can repeal the repeal of Dodd-Frank. There are some good things in the bill like funding for Obamacare and early childhood education.

These days, I have had to repeatedly curb my enthusiasm online out of concern that I may cross that invisible, but oh-so-real line into vitriolic speech. But I’ll tell you emphatically what I hate, the hypocrisy of the United States to impose it’s version of democracy on other nations while denying it here at home. Voting rights under attack — stripped, obstructed or manipulated to ensure that black and brown people are further marginalized and deterred from voting. News of black lives taken by Klan-like police officers and vigilante citizenry who shoot first. You know who I’m talking about — Mike Brown, Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin. I am at a place where I prefer to not self-identify as the politically correct term, African American, but rather as a “black” person, and a member of the black nation worldwide.  Lest we forget, there are more people of color in this world than not. Besides, my true identity was stripped with that of my ancestors upon import to the United States.

I am equally disgusted with a political system that has pimped Barack Obama while it was lucrative to advance political careers, That’s you Democrats! By the way DCCC and DSCC, don’t call me any more for donations until you grow a spine and acknowledge the accomplishments of the black man, namely Barack Obama. Once Obama’s approval ratings took a downward turn after six years of governing, which is what Presidents must do, Democrats forgot the black guy’s name. As for Republicans, Barack Obama has been good business for you hatemongers too — you’ve sold plenty of “I hate Obama” books and beefed up ratings on TV and radio with your racist, vitriolic hate speech that stokes irrational fear of black people in most of rural America. GOP propaganda and hate speech has a strong and enduring market in the United States.

Today’s reality of the first black president of the United States is a wake up call for black people to the persistent racism of America. Some black people had been lulled into a false sense of equality, but now in the era of Obama, the stark reality of race bias has hit some squarely between the eyes and permeated their consciousness. Black America has experienced a cautionary tale — stay alert because civil rights gains of the past are not necessarily guaranteed today or tomorrow. Those who thought that it was enough to only vote in the general election were sadly mistaken. Black turnout in both 2010 and 2014 mid-term elections has been disappointing. What’s more concerning is many have yet to understand the impact of not participating in our democracy. Silence translates to consent.

As we approach these last two years of the Obama presidency, pundits like Michael Eric Dyson are now showing their true selves with strong indictments against the president regarding his response to the killings of Mike Brown and Eric Garner. As a point of fact, Mr. Obama’s Department of Justice is investigating both killings. Mr. Obama has already convened a task force to address the issue of black young men being killed by police departments in alarming numbers. So, I have a particular bone to pick with Mr. Dyson. As a black intellectual Mr. Dyson is now firmly in the Tavis Smiley-Cornell West camp. Jealousy is unattractive, and if he is so intelligent, why cannot he, of all people, understand that a black leader must govern with shrewdness and wisdom in this country. Besides, Mr. Obama represents all Americans and not just black Americans. For context, read my piece under Salient Points entitled, “Governing While Black”.

Then there is New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who confessed recently that Democrats made a mistake by passing healthcare reform. This career Democrat Senator is less interested in the healthcare of Americans than he is in re-election. Mr. Obama’s care and willingness to do hard things while in office has scared Democrats. Democracy for America Communications Director, T. Neil Sroka commented that anyone who thought health care reform “was the wrong way to earn the support of middle-class, working families needs to have their head examined.” Yes, many are jumping ship now; weary of six years of a black president in a racist country. I wouldn’t count the President out just yet though. He can still frustrate Republicans by Executive Order, and he has the power to veto their legislation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urban Threshold Response to Guiliani

Rudy Giuliani caused a racial firestorm by stating that White cops are needed in Black communities because 93% of Blacks killed in America are killed by other Blacks. He is trying to justify the militarization of Black communities by perpetrating the same old racist fear tactic of the so called “Black Crime Menace.” The term “Black on Black Crime” is just a racist propaganda catch phrase used by the mainstream media to imply that Black people are inherently violent to ignore poverty and inequity. The fact is that crime is a matter of proximity and opportunity, so most crime is White-on-White, Black-on-Black, Brown-on-Brown, etc. Equally important, it must be noted that high crime rates have more to do with class than race. Crime has always been higher in poorer areas across all racial and ethnic lines. Furthermore, when one analyzes ”arrest records and conviction records” by race one must take into consideration the unfair Draconian Rockefeller drug laws. Additionally, Whites commit a large percentage of crime as well but it is not reported a lot in the media. In fact, the actual number of rapes, arsons, child molestation cases, bank robberies, etc are higher among whites. And the White on White murder rate is just as high at 87% according to FBI crime stats. The majority of the poor in America are White, thus most Whites don’t reside in the suburbs. Many of them live in poorer areas and trailer parks. In the last 7 years there has been a 127% increase in Meth addition in those poor White regions which has resulted in a huge spike in crime in those areas.  Since whites commit more crime numerically speaking, due to the fact that there are more whites in America, then shouldn’t those crimes be reflected daily in the general mainstream media. But on the contrary, the media only focuses mostly on so called “Black Crime” to paint the Black male as PUBLIC ENEMY #1. 

Only a very small percentage of the Black population participates in criminal activity. “In America, the perception is that crimes committed by White people are explained as deviations of the individual but have nothing to do with their race. However, crimes committed by Blacks or Latino’s are somehow attributed to the whole race,” states news columnist and political analyst Edward Whyckoff Williams. Furthermore, let’s break down inner city street crime beyond the so called stats. Most of the murders taking place in major cities like NYC and Chicago are gang related and drug related. It has nothing to do with race. Gang related crime has been a problem going all the way back to the 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, 50′s and 60′s. During those times the gangs were Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, etc. The murder rate among those gangs was very high. They were responsible for thousands of murders. In fact, the White gangs during those eras invented the whole concept of drive by shootings. The gangs of the past focused on robberies and burglaries. When the White gangs of the 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, 50′s and 60′s were slaughtering each other by the thousands, the media did not label it as “White on White Crime.” Instead, they classified it as “Gangland Crime.” Today, most of the street gangs are Black and Hispanic. They focus more on drug dealing and gun running as a way to finance their criminal enterprise. However, instead of isolating the gang menace, the mainstream media focuses on all black males as the face of crime. Hence, they label it as “Black on Black Crime” when it is really mostly “GANG RELATED and DRUG RELATED CRIME.” The system refuses to eradicate the gang problem because the gangs fuel the multi billion dollar Prison Industrial Complex by supplying it with a steady stream of 1st time and repeat offenders. The real problem with inner city crime is the Gang menace and not all Black males. 

The fact is that the vast majority of Black Americans are law abiding and hard working individuals. Since 2000, the disposable income of Black Americans has risen to an astounding $1.2 trillion dollars. (Just Research It). Black Americans have made great strides in the fields of science, invention, finance, etc. Just log on to http://www.BlackInventor.com and see the myriad of Black American Inventors and scientists who have changed the world. In fact, Black Americans run some of the biggest companies in America. Did you know that the CEO’s of the $24 Billion McDonalds, the $23 Billion Xerox, $22 Billion Merck & Co, $20 Billion American Express, Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Jamba Juice are all Black American?

The mainstream media will never show positive images of Blacks on a regular basis. Positive images have a positive impact and negative images have a negative impact. Pretty soon you will see martial law in Black neighborhoods and the militarization of Black communities. You will see Black folks being arrested in mass numbers and placed in interment camps. And you will not hear an outcry from the general public because people have been conditioned, programmed and brainwashed via the mainstream media propaganda machine to believe that Blacks are public enemy #1.

PROPAGANDA IS THE FIRST STAGE OF ANY MAJOR MILITARY CAMPAIGN! According to the noted psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson “The Goal of Propaganda is to dehumanize the target population to justify aggression against those particular people.” War is being waged on the hood daily via biological warfare, economic warfare, environmental warfare, germ warfare, physical warfare, psychological warfare, and spiritual warfare. It is imperative that we understand what’s going on and fight back through boycotts and other means.

By Jesse Atkinson From Urban Threshold

Twitter Urban Threshold

That Ferguson Case

The Ferguson case is a metaphor for what red state America really wants to do to Barack Obama. Instead, it’s open season on black people who are hated and demonized in these United States. Missouri is a former slave state that holds and perpetuates the legacy of slavery with its slave master mentality and ill treatment of black people. For example, Sundown laws required blacks to be off the street by sundown or face consequences. The Klan is still very active in Missouri to this day. Our country will fall if we remain divided by this cancer of racism. Let’s look at this issue from the lens of history. When you draft a Constitution that declares black people as property and only three-fifths human, you set the stage for inequity and dehumanizing subjugation that is perpetuated throughout generations.

Darren Wilson should have been indicted to stand in a real trial for the killing of Mike Brown. The Ferguson County Prosecutor, McCulloch deviated from normal procedure by putting the Mike Brown shooting case before a Grand Jury (a totally secret process which was constantly leaked in support of Wilson). McCulloch clearly advocated for the defendant based upon his remarks Monday night. His bias toward the police was manifest. The people of Missouri who support Darren Wilson or McCulloch’s handling of this case should be ashamed of themselves, but they won’t be — that includes Senator Claire McCaskill, Governor Nixon and the Ferguson County Prosecutor, McCulloch. Further, the anarchists that burned Ferguson Monday night should hold equal shame for destroying their own neighborhood. Those anarchists set back the cause of addressing the ongoing terrorism of the police-sanctioned murder of black people.

Unfortunately, anarchists played right into the hands of Missouri racists who timed the release of the Grand Jury decision to maximize the potential of a violent reaction. That’s why Govenor Nixon called in the National Guard before the decision, and that’s why the Governor has called up more troops. The crowd took the bait and did what was expected; the dominoes fell and so did Ferguson. It was a setup to rescue the image of the police and further demonize the blacks in Ferguson. In fact, the police press conference held early Monday morning was part and parcel of a PR campaign to rehabilitate the image of a racist, murderous and militaristic Ferguson police force that now feels further empowered to shoot to kill black people at will. I encourage people to keep protesting, but stop violence, looting, burning and destruction of property. This only strengthens the hand of bigots. Stay focused! Stay sane!