Another July 4 passes, time for reflection 7-9-2020

 

9, July 2020              Another July 4 passes, time for reflection

As yet another July 4 slips away into the pages of our history books, it is time for reflection. A society should always be judged on how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. African-Americans continue to suffer disproportionately to the pandemic, systemic racism and gut wrenching police brutality. These appalling crimes have been exposed time and time again and it is heartening to finally see white Americans protesting alongside blacks, Hispanics and Asian Americans to demand change.

Even Donald Trump’s harsh, racist and divisive language has lost its allure with many of his supporters. On a slightly optimistic note, comparatively little white backlash occurred when confederate statutes were being pulled down reflecting the beginning of a change of in attitudes. Consider that in 2001 Mississippi had a referendum on what to do with their confederate flag. Two-thirds of those who participated voted to keep it. In 2020 the governor decided to bring it down with few dissenting voices. The momentum for change, initiated by “Black Lives Matter” must be accelerated.

A “Truth and Reconciliation” commission should be established to chronicle systemic racism and horrific police brutality inflicted on African-American and the genocide of Native Indian communities modelled on the South African or Rwanda Commissions. Ideally, this should be under the auspices of the United Nations. Following the recommendations of the Commission, massive reparations in the form of enhancing educational and job opportunities should be offered to our most vulnerable citizens. They have waited over 400 years. Let them wait no longer.

Finally, a holocaust museum should be built in Washington DC modelled on the Jewish museum to chronicle crimes perpetrated against Native Americans and broken Treaties.

 

 

Trump’s AWOL presidency 7-3-2020

 

3, July 2020                        Trump’s AWOL presidency

According to Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame, Donald Trump continues to trash our allies while maintaining his love affair with strongmen Vladimir Putin of Russia and President   Erdogan of Turkey.

His phone calls offer heads of foreign states the opportunity to feed his insatiable ego and advance THEIR interests. World leaders are playing Trump like a fiddle. They are obliged to listen patiently while Trump boasts of “his many accomplishments.”

He relishes bullying and demeaning our allies, especially German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, accusing her of being "stupid."

Many medical experts have expressed increasing concern over Trump’s rapidly declining mental state.

Meanwhile on the home front, Americans are dying in large numbers as Pence and Trump continue their fairy tale of “good times and flattening the Covid curve,”  ignoring medical experts - all to advance Trump’s reelection prospects. Former White House officials describe the President as “delusional”.

His deference to Putin has again raised fears that the Kremlin is exploiting Trump’s many sexual transgressions and financial entanglements.  Even the bombshell reports that Moscow is offering bounties to Taliban fighters to kill Americans failed to weaken Trump’s resolve to invite Putin to the G7 meeting. Every American should be LIVID!!

The forthcoming “tell all” book by Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, following John Bolton’s bombshell, may be the final saga of Trump’s disastrous presidency.

 

 

Trump & Pence MUST RESIGN 6-29-2020

 

29, June 2020              Trump & Pence MUST RESIGN

In a major escalation to undermine US peace initiatives in Afghanistan, the world press has released bombshell reports that Moscow is offering bounties to Taliban fighters to kill Americans and their coalition partners.

US intelligence alerted President Trump and Vice President Pence in late March of Russian meddling in Afghanistan but much like their lack of response to the Covid pandemic, they chose to remain silent. It is appalling that the President seems to place a higher premium on maintaining his dark friendship with the wily Putin than the safety of our troops. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton blasted President Trump’s lack of response.

Every American should be outraged at Trump deafening silence.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed growing anxiety that the President has being severely compromised by Moscow. The sordid details of Putin and Trump’s alliance were first revealed by former British MI6 spy, Christopher Steel.

 

If our Intelligence Agencies confirm that the Trump-Pence were alerted of Russian interference and failed to take swift action the American people must DEMAND both President Trump and Vice President Pence MUST resign immediately for their appalling dereliction of duty to protect our troops.

 

The President is also undermining NATO and has ordered 10,000 Americans troops to leave Germany.  Trump also plans to invite Putin to a G8 meeting in Washington. Putin must be thrilled.  It is time Americans contact their elected representatives and DEMAND our Intelligence Agencies investigate the sinister PUTIN-TRUMP relationship before Taliban fighters slaughter more of our troops.

 

 

Lambs to the slaughterhouse 6-20-2020

 

20, June 2020                     Lambs to the slaughterhouse

What a sight to behold. Tens of thousands of Trump MEGA unmasked supporters gathering to meet their guru, Donald Trump risking their lives to the deadly Coronavirus.  What incredible passion and loyalty to a man who has built his reputation on a mountain of lies and incompetence.

Multiple reports show that as early as January, the president was urgently advised by own experts of the need for urgent mitigation measures against the spread of the virus. Instead, he engaged in petty political feuds and Pollyannaish predictions minimizing its significance. Finally, on March 16, he reversed his previously dismissive stance. Tens of thousands of Americans died because of Trump’s lack of leadership.

But as John Bolton’s memoir revealed that his former boss was incompetent and was only fixated on his reelection. The president engaged in treasonous activities with President Xi of China who smothered him with flattery to deflect criticism of China’s appalling treatment of the Muslim Uighurs. It is a pity Bolton chose to place a higher value on monetarizing his startling revelations refusing to appear at Trump’s impeachment deposition.  How many of supporters realize that their leader was unaware the Finland is an independent country and not part of Russia or Britain is a nuclear power? How many are aware that Trump curried favor with Saudi Arabia’s, leader MBS as a distraction to Ivanka’ use of a private server?

How many will be infected with the virus to catch a glimpse of their false prophet?

 

George Floyd 6-12-2020

 

12, June 2020                            George Floyd

I watched with horror the slow torture and murder of George Floyd. I was full of rage and disbelief to witness a man who took an oath to uphold the law act in such a barbaric nonchalant manner in full view of the general public and his comrades who seemed paralyzed or unwilling to intervene. The grotesque scene was captured on video for the entire world to witness how black lives are terrorized by police on a routine basis. Outraged Americans and activists around the world poured onto the streets demanding radical change. Some e called for defunding the police, diverting money to community based organizations.

But “de funding police” is a catchy freeze which could be used by President Trump as a wedge issue to his considerable advantage. Democrats MUST not fall into this trap.

Demilitarizing and radical reform of the police would be a far better rallying cry. Public prosecutors must accept some blame for encouraging police TO PROSECUTE petty crimes to bolster their conviction portfolio. Police unions are also a major problem defending racist cops and diluting aggressive legislation by making large donations to self-serving politicians.

Back in my old country, British police only carried truncheons and often used humor and kindness to deescalate conflicts. Clearly, a radical retraining of law enforcement is paramount including weeding out racist police.

Law enforcement MUST undergo a rigorous vetting process and there should be a ZERO A TOLERANCE POLICY FOR OFFCERS WHO FAIL TO MEET THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

A TRUTH & RECONCILATION’ COMISSION SHOULD BE CONVENED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES OF AFRICAN AMERICANS MODELLED ON SOUTH AFRICA OR RWANDA’S COMMISIONS. THIS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO ASSUAGE THE SENTIMNATES OF BLACK AMERICANS. Finally, REPARATIONS IN THE FORM OF A MASSIVE INFUSION OF CAPITAL SHOULD BE POURED INTO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO LIFT OUR BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS OUT OF POVERTY AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. THEY HAVE WAIED 401 YEARS, LET THEM WAIT NO LONGER.

Powerful police Unions resist change 6-8-2020

 

8, June,2020                             Powerful police Unions resist change

Half a decade after a series of high profile murders of African-Americans and world-wide protests, many police unions are resisting change and rushing to defend rogue cops.

Video footage often captures the last few moments of the lives of many African Americas crushed by the iron boots of repression and outright barbarity of rogue cops.

Police unions across the country have mounted strong opposition to reforms enabled by politicians whose judgment have often been swayed by donations from police unions whose membership is at record levels. Few police guilty of brutality or worse are ever held accountable. The few who are fired are often reinstated when public pressure wanes.

Disputes are often settled by binding arbitration behind closed doors allowing unions to flex their legal muscles intimidating local prosecutors. They have been remarkably successfully brushing off demands for broader change. Kim Gardner a top prosecutor in St. Louis attempted to create a separate unit in her office but her efforts were roundly defeated by the local powerful union who even threatened to remove her by force. 

It is therefore not surprising politicians are reluctant to challenge police unions fearful they be perceived soft on crime and often fear for their own safety.

Steve Fletcher, a Minneapolis city councilman and frequent Police Department critic experienced such dire threats. The police responded to his efforts to divert money to a newly created unit to investigate police violence by failing to respond to 911 calls by his constituents.

Even Federal intervention mandated by a federal consent-decree is often ignored by a “wait and see” approach.

There is little hope that the “divider-in-chief aided, abetted by the morally bankrupt Republican Party and US Attorney General will heal a grieving nation.

 

Trump threatens to use the military 6-5-2020

 

5, June 2020                        Trump threatens to use the military

America continues its downward slide pummeled by the Coronavirus, civil unrest and failed military adventures costing $trillions and sending thousands of Americans and foreign civilians to their early graves. Following his inept and anemic response to the deadly virus, President Trump is now threatening to use the US military to quell civil unrest in a desperate effort to prove his manhood. This is the same mean that dodged the Vietnam draft by claiming heel spears. Miraculously, they seem to have healed at the end of the war.

This is the same man who 31 years ago praised the Chinese military crackdown at Tiananmen Square, calling the students “vicious, and horrible. That shows you the power of strength.”

Trump now threatens to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act which would provide him unlimited powers to crush civil dissent, the bastion of our democracy.

He assured governors that under the leadership of Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, protestors would be crushed and commented the “National Guard crackdown in Minneapolis was a beautiful thing to watch.”

This is a time when America has e more than 100,000 deaths and 50 million lost jobs. The death rate is three times Germany’s and the unemployment rate four times Germany’s. According to the Daily Beast, Trump was contemplating sending in tanks precipitating a possible civil war. It is time the American people raise their collective voices in November and scream “Mr. Trump you’re fired” and that would be beautiful!