Posts tagged with "donald trump"

DNC “Joy”: Democratic Elites Shamelessly Rejoiced in the Face of Immense Domestic and Global Suffering

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The irony and cynical nature of our American history, political culture and troublesome patriotism.

Full Speech of Vice President, Kamala Harris.

“For the People”

The DNC convention in Chicago has come to a close after four days of “Joybilee” and self adulation. Attendees, cloaked in the spirit of all the promises of The Declaration of Independence, fanned their happiness, prosperity and all the virtues America espouses. Have you ever seen a more enthusiastic crowd outside of a Beyonce or Taylor Swift concert? Probably not. And it’s strange because for the life of me I can’t understand what their cartoon-like expressions of joy are based upon. What do these people know that the rest of us don’t? 

They ignored the mass protests miles outside their comfort zone, thanks to the “democratic” barriers erected around the DNC “Joy” festival to keep up the appearance of their own version of democracy in action. Huh, what fire?! The gaslighting and perception changing strategy was so profound and on-point, the DNC, Israel and mainstream media deserve an award for their effort to corral a weary American public away from cold hard truths.  

Accepting her nomination for president, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke of how her childhood friend help shape her passion for law because, she said, “… I believe everyone has a right: To safety. To dignity. And to justice.” We must ask, however, safety for who? Who is deserving of dignity? And if elected, how and to whom will this passion for justice be delivered?

Harris also spoke of her late mother, saying, “She taught us to never complain about injustice. But…do something about it.” If this is truly her belief, why did the DNC circle their carnival wagons with barricades to silence protesters doing something about what’s happening in Gaza and across the country? What do her words mean outside of political posturing and proving, once again, that our elected officials have only perfected the art of lying and gaslighting us. Mind you, since Ronald Reagan not much has “trickled down” to the working class of America. As a matter of fact, the gap between rich and poor is greater and the American people, with so-called inalienable rights, are slowly and meticulously losing them, including their grip on the American Dream long ago promised. And Black folks can’t even mention reparations without indignation, including a loud and clear Harris response when the question of reparations was posed to her, “I’m not gonna to sit here and say that I’m gonna do something that’s only gonna benefit Black people. No.”   

“A Bold Vision for America’s Future”

Our nation is in peril and these empty vessels full of arrogance, hypocrisy and self delusion brought The People a perfectly organized circus disguised as the second coming of the Obama era, as if hope and change are real options today. Compounding our serious domestic woes, including an out of control immigration problem, is the ongoing genocide being carried out in Palestine with American weapons of mass destruction by our “staunchest ally” and financial benefactor, Israel. Unfortunately, the truth of the state of America would put a real damper on all that Joybilee we witnessed at the convention. I’m surprised Truman Burbank from The Truman Show didn’t make an appearance to solidify the shit cake the DNC served in Chicago as an appetizer before the main course is delivered to We, the People after November. 

Corporate media’s insidious censorship of independent journalism and pay-to-play tactic – forcing blatant lies, hypocrisy and double-standards down our wide-open conscientiousness – must also be noted and seen for what it is; an attack from a bona-fide enemy of The People. Man’s basic understanding of truth is no longer reliable by their measure and posturing. This, in spite of what our eyes are seeing, our empty wallets are experiencing, the loosening grip on that so-called “American Dream” is feeling like … our elected officials, compromised by AIPAC dollars and influence, demand We, The People believe that the fires raging across the country and the globe are just a figment of our imagination. And although Kamala Harris is serving America as a historic Vice President, she isn’t responsible for the trouble we are in, not just domestically, but globally. And Israel isn’t really slaughtering children by the thousands and actively carpet bombing Palestinians, piece by piece, safe zone by safe zone, school by school. First, it’s all Hamas’s fault because of October 7, and the atrocities most of the world is condemning is a mirage of what could be going on if you vote for Trump. And the public can be reassured of the DNC “truths” by simply turning on their TVs to listen to Joy Reed and all the other sycophants discuss what’s really happening from their prop news desks. 

“I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself. And I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival.” – Harris

America’s dependable corporate media was naturally happy to oblige our government by turning all these elected, once grassroots people, into the “stars” (not leaders) they truly are meant to be for us. The message is clear. Public service and identity politics is your golden ticket to stardom when Hollywood fails to discover you. Accepting the nomination the vice president reminded us of the five words she spoke in front of a judge during her days as a prosecutor, “Kamala Harris, for the People.” The American people need clarity on who “The People” are that she’s referring to because from any logical standpoint, it’s not We, The People. 

“A Fight for our Freedoms”

As expected, Democratic voters have lined up as usual to fawn and worship at the feet of the people they elected to serve them in a government supposedly for The People, and by The People. What we witnessed in Chicago was akin to the imagery of Sodom and Gomoriah. And these fawning people were worshiping hard, too. So hard, they forgot about the state of our economy. The state of housing all across America with the backdrop of the DOJ filing suit against a software company accused of colluding with landlords to price gouge Americans out of their money and homes. They forgot about all the wars our politicians are signing us up for. They seem to also have no recollection or interest in the fact that a foreign government, Israel, is deciding the outcomes of our elections. 

And women’s right to an abortion and basic health care is still being debated and barbarically managed, as if Donald Trump didn’t spell out his own vision for his America First dream many, many moons ago. Even as he packed the courts to fulfill his Aryanism dreams, Democratic leaders and their “elites” only cared about themselves and all the money they were making while Trump was planning. 

They counted on strong rhetoric to fool Americans into believing that they were working overtime to protect us from the boogeyman… until the boogeyman overturned Roe v. Wade on their watch. THAT’S how good Democratic pockets were getting lined to turn a blind eye to the political scheming taking place in Congress, including with their own AIPAC dollars to curry favor. All while illegal immigration is crippling large cities, and pitting poor people against each other. 

Local lawmakers high on virtue didn’t just break their oaths to The People, they also broke their budgets to help the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, streaming across our borders like a scene from The Walking Dead. This, while their own residents go hungry, become homeless and jobless in a country built from their labor and sacrifice. Lawmakers in New York even wrote bills to give illegal immigrants a right to vote. Still, the DNC wants us to focus on what our former First Lady Michelle Obama said, “We don’t get to change the rules so we always win” … it’s true. Sad, said Trump. And California lawmakers, turning a blind eye to their homeless problem, are also working hard to ensure undocumented individuals benefit from the American dream of homeownership with AB1840 … a dream yet to be realized by most Americans who have waited generations for a bite of the apple from the trees they planted. We truly must be dreaming because the reality of America is unreal. 

“I fought against cartels who traffic in guns, drugs, and human beings. Who threaten the security of our border and the safety of our communities. Those fights were not easy. And neither were the elections that put me in those offices. We were underestimated at every turn. But we never gave up. Because the future is always worth fighting for. And that’s the fight we are in right now. A fight for America’s future.” –  Harris

Across the horizon of these empty words, the same cartel Harris fought against is granted asylum today and put up in hotel rooms where they can adequately plan their American dream while the rest of us pay for endless wars and Israeli socialism. 

 

 “For our Future”

As tension in the Middle East escalates, Americans are duty bound to ask our leaders where they are leading us. More than three years in office, and the Biden-Harris administration has not adequately lifted our tremendous burden, or keen on stopping the genocide being carried out by Israel. We live in a country that makes living, hell. And the Democratic Party is so indignant and cynical of the needs of the working class, they choose instead to fight culture wars. The management of American statecraft was laid bare in front of the American people in Chicago. We can no longer afford categorization as the future of our democracy, including humanity, is at stake. 

Whether you’re on the right or the left, a progressive or an independent voter, we are at the precipice of change in the course of our nation and the world. Political categorization has cut us short. Democrats and Republicans are fighting against each other for control of the country, not for We, The People. And truth tellers are called to transcend partisan affiliation to heal our country and revive hope for a better world. Americans are at a crucial juncture in our unique history and culture where only truth can lead us from the grips of partisanship, stop the theft of our wealth by our government and military industrial complex wreaking havoc across the globe, and face the uncomfortable dilemmas of our nation. 

Truth is uncomfortable because they outline our failures. Americans may believe they’re exceptional in the world, but it’s time we appreciate that there are limits to our power. We, The People are propagandized to believe many untruths, including that we only have two choices this November: Identity Politics or the racist Boogeyman. It’s time to face the irony of our own sins in the face of national and global crises and make a new beginning in a corrupt world.    

An op-ed by ePa editor.

American Tradition: Displaying an Upside-Down Flag

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“It’s an international signal of distress!” Martha-Ann Alito allegedly shouted at Bob Barnes, the former Washington Post Supreme Court reporter who asked about the upside-down America flag displayed on her lawn in January 2021 at the home she shares with her husband, Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Alito.  

In addition to the ethics concerns,  the raising of an upside-down American flag has become a national tradition, however, the U.S. Flag Code, which governs the display and use of the American flag, does not specifically address the display of an upside-down flag as a symbol of distress. Nonetheless, there is a long-standing tradition of using an upside-down flag to signal distress or dire need of assistance.

The origin of this tradition is unclear, but it is believed to date back to the early days of maritime signaling. In the 1800s, ships in distress would often fly their flags upside down to attract attention and signal their need for help. This practice was eventually adopted by land-based organizations, such as the military and civilian emergency services.

Today, the display of an upside-down American flag is generally recognized as a symbol of distress. It is often used in emergency situations, such as when a person is lost or injured, or when a property is in danger. In some cases, like the one flown at Justice Alito’s home in 2021, an upside-down flag may also be used as a protest symbol, to express dissatisfaction with the government or other authority figures.

It is important to note that the display of an upside-down flag is not without controversy. Some people believe that it is disrespectful to the flag and should not be used under any circumstances. Others argue that it is a legitimate way to signal distress or protest. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to display an upside-down flag is a personal one.

Trump’s Indictment And The Future Of The Republican Party

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ePa Live Guest:

Raynard Jackson, a Republican political consultant, lobbyist, and radio host who has served on the presidential campaigns of George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Jackson is a native of St. Louis, MO, and is one of the most sought-after conservative speakers in America. He is a frequent public speaker to college students, political & business groups and churches. Jackson has worked on numerous Republican U.S. Senate, gubernatorial, and congressional political campaigns.

He is the president and CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, a lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C.  He is a staunch supporter of former President Donald J. Trump and has criticized his critics, including liberal political pundits Joy Reid and Don Lemon, claiming they have done more to hurt Black people than Trump.

Raynard joined ePa Live to discuss the ramifications of the indictment of Trump and gave his predictions about the next presidential election.

Raynard answers ePa Live question of the day:

Raynard Jackson on the ramifications of indicting a former sitting U.S. president:

Raynard Jackson on Tennessee’s House of Representatives expelling two Democratic lawmakers for leading gun control demonstrations from the House floor. Republicans accused the three Democratic lawmakers of bringing “disorder and dishonour to the House”:

Raynard Jackson discusses the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election held on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Janet Protasiewicz prevailed in the state’s highly consequential contest for the Supreme Court, which will now be likely to reverse the state’s abortion ban and end the use of gerrymandered legislative maps:

The 2024 presidential election is already shaping up to be one of the most heated political races in American history. Raynard Jackson, Republican political consultant, lobbyist, and radio host offers his predictions on ePa Live:

The 117th Congress Reflects Our Changing America

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

“The 117th Congress will be the most diverse group of lawmakers ever to chart the nation’s course when it meets in January after women and nonwhite candidates made gains in the November elections,” states a recent report in The Hill.

This shift in our nation’s armor is a testament to the strong will and perseverance of a people that refuse to live on their knees so rich white men can continue to reap the lion share of our nation’s wealth and supremacy. Black folks, after building the most powerful nation in the world via brutal slave labor, fighting its wars without adequate thanks, inventing products that forever changed how people live, all while subjected to living on the dark side of the moon for what feels like eternity, are changing the face of Congress and other governing institutions across the country. And this fierce determination of grace is not only the pilot light of humanity, but the embodiment of E Pluribus Unum. We’re finally seeing the face of America and it’s a tapestry full of colors, cultures and religion.

Out of many, one nation of diverse people is finally emerging from behind the iron curtain staunchly guarded by a dying breed of shameless dividers and greedy power-hungry hoarders like Mitch McConnell. No doubt, history will reward him and his ilk accordingly, and rightfully so. Just like Confederate statues tumbling down, so will their legacy of white supremacy, greed and total disregard for the path of righteousness that stands right before them. McConnell represents the shame of American greed that refuses to budge, despite the harsh truth and evidence of his impact on his own state of Kentucky, and the entire nation struggling through a deadly pandemic. His impact on America, unique in its search for identity, will never be forgotten and should never be forgiven. As families lineup in food lines across the country, McConnell is fighting to maintain his grip on power rather than cooperate with fellow lawmakers to provide relief for desperate Americans. A crucial piece of legislation to provide Americans with much needed Covid-19 relief, as well as fund our military, H.R.6395 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA) is facing a veto threat from Trump and pushback from McConnell. Why, you ask? Because they object to the level of protection for taxpayers during a pandemic and renaming U.S. military bases honoring Confederate commanders. President Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell believe the nation is overreacting to a pandemic and want to protect traitors who killed their own countrymen to preserve slavery. They say the forces that surround power are the real power. And that power belongs to McConnell. Folks, evil has a face, and he’s the epitome of Sheev Palpatine seething with gritted teeth, “everything that has transpired has done so according to my design.”

Although the road to self-determination has been long and bloody, the struggle is finally bearing some edible fruit. And the makeup of the 117th Congress tells us we’re on the right path to creating the world Dr. King spoke of during his speech at the 1963 March on Washington. We’re rising up to live out the true meaning of America’s creed. The fight to break the chains that have bonded Black people since the dawn of European conquest for the riches of Africa are slowly coming off. One revolution after another, bit by bit, struggle by struggle, heartache upon heartache, injustice after injustice, our spirit, protected and guided by the dreams of our ancestors, refuses to buckle, bend or retreat. From the many battles to maintain Africa for African people, slavery and the African Diaspora, the Abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Women’s Suffrage, Industrialization, the Jim Crow era to the Civil Rights movement, Black people have led the way for mankind’s ultimate freedom, even from self. And Black people in pursuit of salvation have galvanized other ethnic groups to do the same by rising up to face a common enemy: greed and imperialism birthed by Europeans and their designated murderer of humanity, Christopher Columbus who paved the way that ushered in slavery.

The whistling winds of change blowing from plantation to freedom in America is slowly being reflected in the hub of our collective power: Congress. Even so, there is no moment for rest, as there is no rest for the weary. The work to deliberately right the wrongs is just beginning. And not just to clean up Trump’s 4-year destruction of political, societal and international norms, but to rebuild an unjust system that oppresses Black and brown people.

And what does that look like? It looks like flipping the Senate by way of voting Democrat in Georgia. Despite a historic win to seat Joe Biden as the 46th U.S. President, staunch efforts are being made to muzzle we, the people who spoke loud and clear with our votes. Bishop Talbert Swan said it perfectly on Twitter, “17 white, Republican, attorney generals are supporting the Texas attorney general’s attempt to reverse the results of the 2020 election by suing PA, MI, GA, and WI because Black people in Philly, Detroit, Milwaukee and Atlanta voted against Trump is white supremacy on steroids.” This is the movement Trump dragged in like the dead rodent brought in the house by the cat. Bob Marley once said, evil never takes a day off and neither should good, making the work ahead crucial as this country heads into an unknown future as leader of the free world in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

The justice being ushered in also looks like, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, General Lloyd Austin selected to head the Department of Defense, Congresswoman Martha L. Fudge as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nation. And it looks like the feisty Congresswoman Katie Porter who isn’t afraid to fight her elders in Congress for the sake of her countrymen. There can be no peace without justice. And it’s not a personal pursuit of pillory against white people, rather war against a system structured to oppress Black people in every sector of our society. This unifying movement in America, is a demand to right blatant wrongs and finally end the brutality inflicted upon Black people and other POC by Europeans and their descendants. This isn’t new. Many wars have been fought, from Africa to the shores of America and everywhere in between, to push back their land and wealth grab, and inhumanity.

Our work also looks like honesty about the history of the world, curriculum change that teaches the truth about man’s history, cultural theft and genocide, discoveries and conquests from ancient to modern times, deliberate upward mobility initiatives to finally allow Black people to hold their rightful prosperous place in America, police reform and equality; socially and economically. Similar to whites receiving reparations following the end of slavery, so too must African Americans benefit from an eternity of brutality, lynching’s and injustice in a country of their making. Imagine 500 years of being forced to live on your knees for the benefit of one group that continues to profit from these unjust circumstances. We’re not there yet but I’m grateful we’re on our way to the mountain top Dr. King envisioned for all Americans. The changing face and make-up of Congress isn’t about one group of people losing, but rather all of us winning.

The Ancestors And Our Vote

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

The day we’ve all been waiting for, November 3rd, has come on gone. How are you feeling? Anxious, I bet. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. It’s a collective state most Americans are in, including the spirits of the ancestors. With votes still being counted, it’s a sad realization despite the rhetoric of having far more in common than not, this election proved we’re not a united nation. We’re learning that more Black men voted for Trump this election cycle; jumping from 13% in 2016 to 18% in 2020. Also Black women, according to the NYT, doubled their support—from 4% to 8%—for a race agitator who referred to African countries as “shithole countries” and has consistently disrespected nearly every woman of color covering him. And, the number of white women who supported this foul-mouthed crotch grabbing president who doesn’t care about caging babies and separating families at our southern border jumped from 42% to 55%. Sadly, even the LGBTQ+ community increased their support for a president who stated multiple times that he doesn’t support gay marriages. The illusion of America is real. Our life predicted on screen is not.

This election outcome is another reminder that it is in our ancestors that we can discover ourselves and demonstrate their teachings of our social functions. And these last 4 years of the Trump administration have been a lesson in humility, hope and hate: a lesson on humility because trump reminded us of the fragility of our sacred human bonds and the tenacity of racism; a lesson of hope because these deeply troubling times under Trump’s so-called leadership suggests that to make America truly great will require a renewed commitment to the ideals of a blossoming nation yet to be fully satisfied and equally felt by all her people; and a lesson in hate because Trump reminded us that this nation remains deeply divided by it.

“I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.” – Lyndon B. Johnson

It’s unconscionable that our country, specifically the Republican Party, that proudly bombed ISIS in the name of democracy and to end their reign of terror across Iraq and Syria has adopted ISIS like tactics of loaded trucks with violent flag flying intimidation, blatant voter suppression and engaging in race fueled domestic terrorism. This nation is eating itself from the inside as the founding fathers warned could happen. It’s become a gang war; Red vs. Blue. That’s how much we have cheapened our country. We bomb developing country’s to adopt our ways and yet, we fight each other mirroring what we fight to stop in so-called hostile nations. These are ever changing times. And the 2020 election is a stark reminder of the rising tide of American racism fueled and emboldened by an unhinged madman at the helm of the most powerful nation in the world.

“At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” – Abraham Lincoln

Setting aside the devastating impact of Trump’s mishandling of COVID-19, money, power and race were the main actors in this election cycle. Money because the rich want to get richer at all cost, even by deteriorating a nation they claim to be patriots of. Make no mistake, they won’t stop sending jobs overseas for cheap labor and interference from human rights watchdogs. The elites make it abundantly clear; money over humanity and decency is their way forward in our democracy. And basic fairness has no practical value from their perch. It’s hard to accept billionaires fighting against paying Americans a living wage of $15 an hour but that’s the ugly truth of the matter. And yet, they’ve managed to convince even the poorest whites to adopt their position with lies and brainwashing tactics of government overreach and the unfulfilled promise of a trickle-down economy. If that’s not power, you don’t know what it is. South Carolinians refused to hold Lindsey Graham accountable with his own words. Maine voters are sending Susan Collins back to Washington despite setting women’s rights back several decades with her votes and shamefully supporting this boorish president who paid off the stripper he was cheating with while rubbing elbows with a powerful and bold pedophile. And Kentucky is a prime example of successfully convincing the neediest Americans to cast a vote against their own self interests. And unfortunately, the truth about Mitch McConnell’s track record has fallen on racist deaf ears amongst the poorest and least educated Americans, with Kentuckians voting for the 7th time to stunt their progress, throwing away an opportunity to rise from the depths of their poverty and educational access by reelected the sickly man who has only enriched himself and his family. Imagine the level of deep rooted racism that requires. 

 “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.” – John Lewis

These words echo across our nation from beyond the boundaries where the ancestors roam. They left us the tools we need to improve the walk of life. Their wisdom is meant to guide us in forming a more perfect union. And yet, the fight for the soul of our nation in the era of Donald Trump has derailed us from the tracks of decency and humanity like the ill-fated Germans before WWII. That this election wasn’t a hands-down defeat for a madman likened to Hitler is personally demoralizing. I’m left feeling suspicious and even fearful of some of my white countrymen who make up 70% of voters, and who clearly harbor all that Trump represents; hate and intolerance of others in a country made rich by enslaved Africans; my ancestors.

When the election results are finally settled may this land, formed by the sweat, blood and tears of my enslaved ancestors, perform the Day of Death dance by ancient Africans, singing:

Natir ben be, O yi ye’e; O yi Man gon, O yi ye’e.

Here there are sores, May they go away; Across the river, May they go away.

Today, we find ourselves in an unholy place, not just because the Trump family represents America’s sore, but because they constitute all seven deadly sins, from gluttony, greed, wrath, lust, sloth, envy to pride. And a Biden win is how this ancient purification ceremony will symbolically wash away their stain on the White House and in due time, America.

American Voices On Donald J. Trump

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

Anti-Trump protesters gathered at the White House in Washington, DC to drown out the president during his Republican National Convention acceptance speech.

A lonely Trump supporter at the White House speaking of his support of the president.

Protesters from Dallas, TX spoke up against Trump in front of the White House. The group traveled to Washington, DC to protest the president’s RNC acceptance speech and to attend the 2020 March on Washington. 

 

El Paso Mall Shooter Demonstrates The Fear Growing Among White Supremacists In America

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

The El Paso Mall shooter’s manifesto is a carbon copy excuse fearful white supremacists use to justify their intolerance of the changes America has been going through since her discovery. From the stories of the Arawaks, Cherokees and Sioux people, slavery, the Civil War, the Mexican war, industrialism, the Gilded Age, Women’s Suffrage and the Civil Rights movement to the abomination that is Donald J. Trump … America has been steadily changing, usually for the better in spite of the Trump family detour. Our Constitution makes it plain too as it states, “All Men are created equal.” And yet here we are facing another senseless attempt to destroy the fabric of our nation by white nationalists who terrorize people they claim for preservation of country and culture. The irony is they’re so-called “defending” a country they hardly know beyond their own neighborhoods. The shooter even resembles the people he supposedly loathes; Hispanics. Apparently the fog between hate-filled ears is very thick.

As the country absorbs this latest homegrown terrorism rooted in racist dirt, I’m reminded of what Medgar Evers once said, “You can kill a man, but you can’t kill an idea,” and that includes the idea of America. These cowards will never shoot their way into the America they want to create for white people. It’s never going to happen. America has never been a white country. Native Americans still hold the moral deed to these sacred and hard fought for grounds.

What perpetuates this white nationalist ideology is the media business. There’s always a softer spin to the carnage committed by these white supremacists. Not only are they usually apprehended alive and peacefully, some get special treatment like a meal from McDonald’s after brutally gunning down 9 black people worshiping in a church. They’re even referred to as, “good people” by our dear leader who also exhibits racist views and tendencies, promotes violence and intolerance of people of color and those with disabilities during his rallies.

The terrorizing of non-white American citizens is not a phenomenon. Ask any person of color except HUD Secretary Ben Carson, HUD NY/NJ head Lynne Patton and former sheriff David Clarke. They don’t yield for truth and common sense, just squirrels. Politicians from all sides of our government are pressed to speak and answer questions we know the answers to. Their words ring hollow in an era of madness fueled with guns and indiscriminate violence. It’s deplorable that even after the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2013, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shamelessly chooses to protect the NRA and his Party’s throne by denying passage of bipartisan and common sense gun laws like the Background Checks Act, (H.R. 8).

The days of political thoughts and prayers are gone. Our country is facing a pivotal moment in human history and we don’t need politicians to confirm what is clear as day: we have a gun crisis in America and handing out condolences like Halloween candy will no longer suffice. And, we certainly don’t need a reckless president at the helm of this growing chaos among white nationalists, Nazi sympathizers and white supremacists. McConnell tweeting how “the nation is horrified” is just more disingenuous lip service from a man whose state inhabits some of the poorest people in the country according to the U.S. Census. Most of them are white. And yet Kentucky, with a nearly 15-percent poverty rate, continues to send McConnell to Congress where he fights to protect rich corporations instead. And please don’t hold your breath on healthcare Kentuckians because he’s still diligently working to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare … named after a president your senator worked overtime to sabotage.

The Civil War was the answer to those who wanted to protect the institution of slavery and white supremacy. Perhaps the answer to our current turmoil is another revolution. Either way, the average American is paying the ultimate price for the gun crisis in the country, as we mark the 251st mass shooting this year, according to Gun Violence Archive. The most recent massacre just happened in Dayton, Ohio, a state without background check laws. And as expected, when it comes to domestic terrorism to preserve the ideology of white supremacy, Trump needs more time to adequately offer his thoughts and prayers. Evidently he’s too busy crashing wedding parties to be the leader America needs in these crippling moments of senseless gun violence.

Trump’s Smite On The Arts In America

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Editors Note: This piece was also featured in DCReport.

 

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

Taking a deeper look at two more of Donald Trump’s nominees for the National Arts Council, having examined the other two in this recent article.

Barbara Coleen Long is the wife of Rep. Billy Long (R-Missouri) who lists his top policy issue as “Conservative values.”  A 20-year search of the Nexis news database turns up not a single mention before her before her July 12 nomination to this prestigious federal advisory board.

The nominee is unknown in the national arts world or even in her own small community of Springfield, other than as someone who attends local performances. Indeed, prior to July 12, the day Trump nominated her, we could not find a single news report mentioning her. Leslie Forrester, executive director of the Springfield Regional Arts Council, said that although she isn’t familiar with Long she supports her nomination. “Congressman Long and his family have been involved in the arts. They’ve been involved in our local community theater, local cinema and others. They’ve been patrons of the arts for a very long time and we certainly count them as allies in terms of advocacy work as well,” Forrester said.

“I have not had the opportunity yet to meet Mrs. Long but I think that having her representation coming from a mid-western state and coming from a smaller community and understanding what is happening in the arts and in rural Missouri as well as our metro area will be beneficial because there are lots of great arts things happening  outside of metro areas and continuing that kind of representation at the national level will ensure that the National Endowment for the Arts is able to fully engage with the arts at all levels,” Forrester said.

If the Longs were truly allies in Springfield’s art community, Forrester would have been familiar with her, but she’s not. The city population is 167,000 and the metro area only 550,000 people, small enough that people engaged in any broad field of activity tend to be known by the leaders in specific fields, like the arts. Rep. Long makes his conservative views crystal clear on his congressional website — he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. So unless the Longs live in a house divided, it’s logical to surmise his wife holds similar conservative view points.

That made me wonder about what she would think of “Piss Christ,” a 1987 creation of photographer Andres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a small glass tank of the artist’s urine. It won a Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art’s Award in the Visual Arts. The competition, in Winston-Salem, N.C.,  was sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Considering Long’s family stance on morality, the question then must be; will she support art deemed controversial? Or is her nomination a signal of the type of country Trump wants to create, one that shares his philistine views on arts and culture?

The fourth nominee is Michelle Itzcak, a board certified, registered art therapist and a licensed mental health counselor in Indiana. What she will contribute to the national arts scene is anyone’s guess. How did Itczak get nominated, being relatively unknown in her own town’s art scene? Even Jeremy Efroymson, a major name in the Indianapolis art scene, declined to comment. “Thanks but I’m not interested in commenting,” he said. People named to federal boards usually have track records that get them into the news. So we did a Nexis news database search for all English language news going back 20 years to find news reports prior to the July 12 appointment by Trump. Here is the entire file on Itczak from the Terre Haute Tribune-Star, first from a story in 2010:

Michelle Itczak has resigned from her position as South Vermillion’s girls soccer coach to work at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Itczak will begin an art therapy program at Riley. And there is this from a story six years ago on a group dynamics: In the conflict resolution workshop, the participants discussed how to avoid mismanaging conflicts to avoid more damage. “If handled positively, I believe conflict is an opportunity to grow,” said session leader Michelle Itczak, an adjunct professor in SMWC’s Master of Art in Art Therapy Program. “Overcoming those challenges can build trust and strengthen relationships.” And from the Indianapolis Star that same year: “Art is a positive outlet for anyone, but particularly incarcerated individuals because it is a nonviolent way for them to express themselves,” said Michelle Itczak, a board-certified registered art therapist, licensed mental health counselor and president of the Indiana Art Therapy Association.

The only other published report we could find was from the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette in 2012: Every week, Katherine travels to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis so medicine can be put into her blood. And that’s where she met Michelle Itczak. Itczak is an art therapist who helps children. She urged Katherine to start drawing and painting on the days she had her treatments. Whatever Trump’s, or more likely his staff’s, reasoning for selecting these four nominees to sit on the National Council for the Arts is anyone’s guess but we don’t have to dig too deep when it comes to understanding His Shallowness and the arts. There’s no mystery to Trump. He’s all about worshipping him and money.

When Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul, passed away this week, many took note of her  stirring performances and her  2015 Kennedy Center Honors, which brought President Obama to tears. Not Donald Trump. He reduced her decades of contributions to the arts as one of the greatest singers the world has ever known to this: “she worked for me.”

Trump; the only president to deliberately skip the Kennedy Center honors that are arguably America’s most important evening for the arts, doesn’t care about the arts. His selections seem to fit this pattern.

 

Dear White House “Resister”: A Response To The Anonymous NYT Op-Ed Writer

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

Here’s a perspective. Like Drake, I’m upset. The timing of this letter is suspect.

Never in the history of modern day America has a White House administration exhibited such disarray and dysfunction endangering the country and the world. The Trump administration isn’t just dysfunctional; it is downright dangerous.

And this anonymous “resister” wants it all; to not only eat the cake, but to throw it in the faces of the American people by way of being part of forcing one-sided legislation down our throats and help do the bidding for the most prosperous among us who don’t need more wealth in a country losing its middle class to poverty.

Pointing out the president’s “amorality” as the root of America’s problem is equivalent to telling us that water is wet. Was “grab them by the pussy” not enough to “resist” or help thwart his political advances? What about his long documented business practices of cheating hard-working people? Why speak out now when the world is watching us crumble within, fighting amongst ourselves, and showing us to be the fools destined to perish by not coming together like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. warned during the civil rights movement.

“I would know. I am one of them,” the anonymous “resister” boosts about the sabotaging of an American president as if he or she is a Marvel character in a super hero movie. Unfortunately, this is real life and the attempts to take away healthcare from the common man has real life consequences; giving “historic” tax cuts to the rich by taking more from the poor is the opposite of what a super hero would do; being silent when the president attacks minorities and shows support for racists is complicity in its true form; not writing sooner, you know, like when the president banned Muslims from entering the country, ripping Mexican and Latin American children from their desperate parents’ arms at our southern borders, calling Mexicans rapists, disrespecting the needs of those affected by Hurricane Maria, suggesting that black immigrants are less desirable in America because they come from “shit hole countries,” … I can go on but I think you get why I’m upset.

Your “dear America” letter is disrespect.

If your first duty is to this country, as you put it, why would you want Donald Trump to succeed in his efforts to “Make America Great Again” when all this campaign slogan embodies is a call to revive the atrocious history of a country still working to overcome it; a past that had black people in bondage and living as second class citizens in a country they built through slave labor. The extreme ideological platform you and your fellow “secret resisters” chose to build upon is exactly why America is in the pickle jar. From selecting Sen. Jeff Sessions to lead the Department of Justice despite the warnings of Coretta Scott King, putting Scott Pruitt in charge of protecting the environment when he’s only shown that it’s for sale to the highest polluter, looking to Betsy Devos to lead our nations education system despite her lack of experience or ability to even identity with people who attend public schools or live below the billion dollar income line; blatantly disrespecting long standing federal bidding practices by grossly handing out FEMA contracts to well connected friends with no business managing natural disasters, and handing out pardons like Mardi Gras beads…Thank God Joe Arpaio didn’t have to show us his man boobs.

The list of corrupt behavior is long. How many times has Jared Kushner changed his answers on his security clearance form? Against federal rules, Ivanka Trump’s clothing and jewelry line is being pimped out on television by top advisors like Kelly Anne Conway, and Fox News has turned into a propaganda machine for hate and intolerance, something the president and his enablers feed and supports. The entire family is benefitting financially from the blatant nepotism taking place and costing Americans millions in tax dollars. Let’s not forget, you “top advisors” blessed Kushner, a wealthy out of touch and inexperienced realtor, to be the savior of the Middle East while birthing peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

I’m upset; despite your letter full of regret.

You say the president shows no affinity for conservative ideas as if he hasn’t switched political parties before or shown the world his true colors. Just because you’ve enabled and made excuses for Trump along the way to this pile we’re now sitting on doesn’t mean majority Americans, decent and good hearted people, don’t see him exactly for who and what he is; a pathological liar and an all around terrible human being. Your house of cards is crumbling and like a rat you’re trying to jump a sinking ship. You may have changed your cloth but you’re still the being behind this new resister frock.

The same people that saw fit for then press secretary Sean Spicer demand the American people accept that their eyes were lying to them when he said Trump’s inauguration crowd was the biggest ever. Video and photographic evidence wasn’t enough to stop this perpetual lie; another attempt to cloud truth and blur the boundaries of right and wrong to appease Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States. And let’s not forget, Chief of Staff John Kelly has yet to apologize for lying about statements Rep. Frederica Wilson made about the president’s disastrous phone call with the wife of a fallen soldier and for insulting her using racially insensitive language.

Nonetheless, you want the American people to believe you all are the Space Force Avengers.

The disbelief of senior officials at the president’s words and actions is laughable considering Trump hasn’t changed since becoming president. He’s simply more powerful. And this is exactly what Trump’s base loves about him. “He’s not your typical politician” and “He speaks his mind” they excused no matter what Trump did or said. Even evangelicals found loopholes in their bibles to justify every sin Trump committed and turned a blind eye to every one of his hypocritical moves or ungodly behavior.

The adults in the room colluded with Russia to win an election and made Trump their messiah despite all the warnings and push back from the American people. And now, seeing a steady drop in his approval numbers, they want him returned to sender before the blue wave hits.  Ironically, the adults who stood silent while the president attacked the media as the “enemy of the American people” now turn to it for salvation.

 

 

Donald Trump Goes To Utica

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, (yes, you read that correctly, it’s still true) received a typical welcome from the American people in Utica, NY. Over 2,000 protesters showed up to voice their opposition to arguably the most hated man in the world. Roughly 200 of those gathered came to support the president. Even the Trump chicken made an appearance in front of 207 Genesee Street!

 

It’s no secret Trump is the least popular president in recent memory and yet it’s because of him so many New Yorkers joined forces to protest his visit. Thanks Trump! The President was in town to stump for Claudia Tenney, another unpopular republican incumbent, at a pricey fundraiser at the Hotel Utica. Tenney, (NY-22) is facing Anthony Brindisi, (D) in November. For details on this and other House and Senate races click here.

For local details on Trumps visit click here.