(Brexit) Deal Or No Deal, Who Cares?

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobal

With October 31st in the rearview, there was something the British were dreading more than Halloween tricks this year, namely the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. More than 3 years after the referendum, the situation seems comical. The dramatic promises Boris Johnson made vanished into thin air again after the House of Commons rejected the text summoning elections before Christmas, a moment deemed inadequate by the Labour Party. Denouncing this hostage-taking strategy, Johnson foresees he may need to count on the European Council’s decision to refuse any postponement. Now a delay has been granted until January 2020 and as I write, Johnson has just obtained the right to organise anticipated elections after all. Politics is a slow and intricate process, even more so when the government is polarised and can’t seem to reach a compromise. 

As inextricable and sad as the situation may seem, what seems to reach a consensus is the weariness and annoyance surrounding each news report and twist. Who can pull it off if Boris Johnson can’t? For many, he was the strong leader the UK needed after the many rejections faced by Theresa May. If at first each move or each decision would hit the headlines, it has now become more like a tired joke told by a drunken uncle at a family gathering: no one laughs and, in fact, no one cares. Tragically, millions of people are waiting for a decision that will change their life, present or future, but the rest of Europe has had enough. 

At first, there was some kind of euphoria, this idea that things could change after all, even here in the middle of the Old Continent, people could make their voices heard and traditional alliances could be cancelled. On the other side, there was fear and tears, despair and crushed hopes, torn families as well. But in short, there were feelings! If people used to be hopeful and optimistic about the deal they were sure May or Johnson was going to secure, it seems like today they would say something along the line of “Yeah, whatever.” I’m not even brushing at what a no-deal Brexit would mean for the country, economically and socially, ditto for the rest of Europe. The impact of this decision will probably exceed predictions, positively or negatively, only time will tell. But what seems obvious is that the longer it takes for Brexit to happen, the less positive energies remain to obtain the best conditions possible. 

Similar Read: Brexit: The Predictable Divorce? 

If I Was Your Son, What Advice Would You Give Me Next Time I’m Pulled Over By a Police Officer?

by with 3 Comments CultureFeaturedPolitics

Scene: Presidential Justice Forum at Benedict College, an HBCU – Historically Black College & University, in South Carolina (the actual forum itself is worth a deeper discussion than this post)

Black student: “If I was your son, what advice would you give me next time I’m pulled over by a police officer?”

(The question stumped Bernie and he asked the student to repeat the question)

Bernie Sanders: “I would do my best to identify who that police officer is in a polite way, ask him or her for their name. I would respect what they are doing so that you don’t get shot in the back of the head.”

It’s important to note that Bernie agreed to do this forum about criminal justice at an HBCU. This wasn’t a hot mic walking out of a congressional hearing or another event following a traumatic incident of police brutality. Did he not expect to get asked a question about criminal justice and its impact on African-Americans at this event? Regardless, that’s the best answer he could come up with?

Unacceptable.

That response is beyond troubling because Bernie is basically implying that the only reason Black men get shot by the police is because they’re not respectful, and if they would just be respectful then they wouldn’t get shot and killed. We don’t have to dive deep into history to know that this is a false narrative often pushed by media, ignorant and racist pundits, and a narrative clearly perpetuated by one, if not more than one, presidential candidate.

Sean King and Nina Turner, prominent Black social and political supporters and voices in his corner, and he was still ill-prepared to answer such a question. It’s embarrassing and likely disqualifying for many millennials of color.

Will he win the nomination? Who knows. If I was a gambler I’d say Biden will win because he’s atop of the polls and appears to be the safe choice, for both White women and older Black voters. But Bernie has consistently been a top-3 candidate from the beginning, and whether he is or not, it’s not reassuring to know that the potential Commander-in-Chief thinks police brutality is a byproduct of victims being disrespectful.

Race, a tough topic that has stumped many of the Democratic candidates, can’t be brushed aside considering these candidates simply can’t win without minorities turning out in droves to vote for them. Biden, Buttigieg, Sanders, they’ve all struggled when dealing with issues and direct questions about race, and this is yet another unacceptable-disqualifying example.

Democratic presidential candidates… do better. 

Who Did Well in the 4th Dem Debate… Sanders, Yang, Buttigieg?

by with 4 Comments FeaturedPolitics

My thoughts…

Buttigieg – He expresses himself well but everything about him seems so contrived. Why does he seem so disingenuous to me? He seems like someone who talks over people. I can see how some people might view him as the winner of this debate. I didn’t.

Biden – I wonder if he can respond to a question without saying “Look” and pointing his finger at people. I really hate that. Every response he gave was horrible plus he was patronizing to Warren.

Warren – How she shaded Biden after the patronizing was great ??! Problem with her is that she is vague. She isn’t a straight-shooter when responding to questions and when she’s taken by surprise she gets flustered and grabs her notes. I can’t see how anyone would think she won this debate.

Booker – I’ve either gotten used to his theatrics or he’s toned them down a bit. He made some good points but my takeaways are that he lives in an area with gun violence and he’s a vegan.

Beto – He had to remind us that he can speak Spanish. He couldn’t answer the simple gun question. I think he’s hurting his chances of running for Senate in Texas.

Steyer – It was his first time hitting the stage. He didn’t do badly but I hate the fact that he essentially bought his way onto the stage.

Tulsi – She tripped up Warren as expected. Her interaction with Buttigieg was interesting too. But Buttigieg expresses himself more convincingly even when he might be wrong.

Yang – His best debate performance to date. The post-debate interviews allowed him to get a little more in for people who aren’t familiar with his platform, but I loved how at the end he invited everyone to his website on Friday where he will be answering questions from all tuned-in Americans for 10 straight hours. Brilliant. #AskYang #AskYangAnything #AskAndrew

Bernie – I can’t say I’m a fan of his but I feel like he won the debate. What a way to come back after having a heart attack and the death of his daughter-in-law these past two weeks!

Harris – Lost. It was a huge waste of time when she started pressing Warren on booting Trump off Twitter.

Klobuchar – She was able to get a lot of talking time.

Castro – I think this was his weakest performance to date. I’m glad he stopped attacking people based on their age.

1. Sanders
2. Yang
3. Buttigieg 

Do you agree?

Similar Read: Kamala or Bust? 

California Passes Act That Will Allow College Athletes to Get Paid, What Will Other States Do?

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

A couple of weeks ago, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed The Fair Pay to Play Act, which will allow college athletes in California to be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness. California schools will not pay athletes under the new bill, but athletes will be allowed to hire agents and seek out business deals. 

This is huge! 

Even if you’re not a fan of college sports… I’m sure you’re well aware that everyone from Bo Jackson to Zion Williamson has never received a dime (aka compensation) for their work and talent as a college athlete. Meanwhile, the NCAA has made billions of dollars over the years in profit based solely off their talents. 

Until now. 

And it matters that this act took place in California because it’s the largest state in the country in terms of both population and economic power. And… California has several powerhouse collegiate programs to draw top-ranked athletes, such as UCLA, Cal, and Stanford, all of which are worthy of 5-star athletes who might consider them over other programs like the University of Texas solely due to their personal income potential.

Unless… Texas (the second-largest state in terms of population and economic power) passes their own version. And to not be outdone by the lone star state… Florida… with its own large population with economic might not want students going to Texas A&M over Florida State. Not a coincidence, both Florida and Texas are hotbeds for college football recruiting. With everything else they have to compete with, are they really going to stand by and let their top athletes leave the state because of failing to compete legislative wise? 

That brings us to a crossroads, which eventually will lead to either one of two things… the NCAA steps in and fixes its serfdom-like ways with college athletes, OR… literally every state or the federal government as a whole will enact a federal “fair play to pay” act. 

This will inevitably open the grounds for student-athletes to finally get some form of compensation, stipend, allowance, or outright paycheck for the use of their name, image or likeness.

Call me crazy, but I think we’re long overdue for such a a common-sense correction.

What do you think?

In Review: HBCU Homecomings Recharge Millions of African-Americans

by with One Comment CultureFeatured

There is something special about the month of October. There’s a sweet smell in the air, the birds are chirping, and excitement mounts inside of me and more than a million others who can relate to my college experience. It is Homecoming Season! Some may ask, what is the big deal? Well, I will tell you… this isn’t just any Homecoming, this is Homecoming at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). At an HBCU, Homecoming is a family reunion, block party, cookout, and any other feel-good function you can think of combined in one. It is THE event of the year for students and alumni alike that is marked on everyones calendar. After Homecoming weekend I return home full of happiness, motivated to keep pushing towards my dreams, and an increased pride in my Blackness and all that it entails. My soul glows from the inside out because it was recharged with all the wonderful examples of Black excellence, intertwined in moments of “let-your-hair-down-ratchetness,” giving me some extra pep in my step for work Tuesday morning (Monday just isn’t an option after Homecoming). 

Why HBCUs Exist… 

HBCUs were created in the post-civil-war era as institutions of higher learning where African Americans were welcome to attend, at a time when most Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) banned Blacks from stepping foot on campus, let alone actually trying to attend a class. For years, HBCUs have provided African Americans a safe space to learn and grow as individuals and into adulthood without the constant second-guessing because of the color of our skin.

I attended Howard University – “The Mecca” also known as “The Hilltop.”

Founded in 1867, Howard University celebrated its Sesquicentennial, its 150th anniversary, this year. One hundred and fifty years of fostering Black excellence by being one of the leading producers of minority doctoral graduates in the country and producing famous alumni such as Thurgood Marshall, Phylicia Rashad, and Zora Neale Hurston. The reason I chose to attend an HBCU for undergraduate is because I was tired of being the only person that looked like me in my classes and in all my extracurricular activities. I was tired of the breezing over Black history only during the month of February. I was tired of the entire class staring at me when we read To Kill A Mockingbird aloud and the word “n***er” was said. Most importantly, I was tired of feeling like an outsider in a world that paints my Blackness as a negative.  

I attended both a PWI (graduate school) and an HBCU (undergraduate and graduate school) during my educational tenure; however, my time at my PWI pales in comparison to my HBCU experience. During my time at Howard University, I learned detailed African and African-American (Black American) history. I also learned that the people of the Black Diaspora are much more diverse than what is showcased (for example, there are vast cultural differences between Black Californians, Jamaicans, and Kenyans). Furthermore, I learned how to better care for and appreciate my natural hair. The negative stereotypes about Black people are dispelled at HBCUs. I grew up in the inner city and my friends and I were constantly fed messages and images of crime, absentee fathers, and poor education within the Black community. But at Howard University, future Black doctors, judges, and engineers roamed the campus having stimulating conversations about current events and plans for the future. It was at Howard University where I realized Black fathers do exist, not just in my circle of close-knit friends, but across the country. It was at Howard University where I also realized there were smarter Black girls and boys like me who came from two-parent households, and not mainly housing projects. Overall, I began to see that I was more the norm of Black America, and not the exception. With every day on campus, I became more comfortable with the Black woman I was and realized my Blackness was a blessing and not a curse, as society would have you believe. 

In a country that seems to remind us every day that our skin doesn’t warrant the same equality or opportunities as others, Homecoming unequivocally reminds us of the power and brilliance that lives within our community. I need that annual experience, and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. 

This article was originally published on 8 October 2018.

Similar Read: Kamala or Bust? 

Syria Will Be Part of Trump’s Legacy – But History’s Judgement Is Still Unclear

by with 2 Comments FeaturedGlobalPolitics

The president’s pullout of Syria is essentially an effort to force an end not only to our engagement in the area, but also to the basic credibility of the neoconservative worldview- as well as efforts in the future to shape global democracy and influence world order. There are plenty of Republicans who see this approach as heresy, and there are plenty of Democrats and media outlets who relish the blood-on-blood infighting to come (and who will strangely express their outrage at a decision they would have lauded once merely because the opposite of the administration’s policy is their policy), but the reality is much more nuanced.

On the surface, the president’s motivation is driven by polling. Our commander in chief is a populist at his core- not an idealist.  Most Americans (many in both parties) don’t favor extending the war in Syria. This is quite simply because we aren’t able to do what it takes to win. Assad’s forces are backed by Russia; there’s no way to build real stability in the region without a heavier hand than we are willing to take or through regime change, and there seems to be no way to force regime change short of open war with Russia. Further, as China increasingly begins to flex in the pacific and begins to highlight our “meddling in the affairs of others” -including Syria- as China launches their own massive campaign for development, seeking access to the natural resources of sub-Saharan Africa, the president is mindful that it’s from China where we face the greatest long term security threat, and it’s China who benefits most from our distraction to a protracted entanglement with Syria and Russia. Further, while the timing of Iran was the president’s doing, it’s also clear that they are a much greater threat to global security in the near term. Our security interest in Syria is that someone accountable to the UN controls and regulates the area- whether it be Turkey or the US, either will make certain that it isn’t ISIS. We really can only do so much.

But that’s only part of the story. Turkey’s interest in Syria isn’t focused first on restoring peace to Syrians. The Kurdish forces we have used since the beginning of the war in Iraq have fought with us because they are a people without a land. Spread throughout Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, this proud, ethnic population descended of Saladin is at odds with each of those nations as they seek to restore some autonomy. They have been capable allies because they have more than 1,000 years of history fighting for their own survival. Walking away from them when we are done will be a public betrayal that the Chinese and Russians will hold up as the true nature of “American Imperialism.” They will say that Americans come with high ideals, but leave when it’s no longer convenient. To Bush-era neoconservatives, it’s unthinkable; to Trump and his “America First” agenda, it’s a way to cross the bridge back from nation-building and burn it behind him.

In the long term, this may be the better move. The people of Vietnam, the people of Iraq, and increasingly the people of Afghanistan have come to realize that Americans come and Americans go. If we fool no one, and if we do really lack the resolve (and quite possibly the ability) to build regimes and promote democracy in the aftermath of conflict, then it is possible that the sooner we go the better. This may also help us usher in a day when America accepts that it is no longer the sole global hegemon and must share global military and economic influence with both China and Russia once again. If pulling back now gives them space we would have needed to cede eventually through direct conflict, it may increase stability in the long term also.

But in the short term, it’s a lot of bad taste. To those who can’t bear to see America as anything but a beacon of light that can dictate the ways of the world, it looks like a retreat. To those focused first on human rights, it’s a turnover of power to another heavy-handed imperial force that will bring another wave of increased violence before it can hope to bring local stability. While the president’s motivation may be no deeper than extending a political olive branch to a growing, centrist plurality of the American public focused on their own economy, anxious to make a trade deal in China and not willing to subsidize stability of the Kurdish population (so long as there’s someone on the ground containing ISIS), if America is a truly is a shrinking power, in 50 years this may be seen as a thoughtful and pragmatic preservation of resources. 

Similar Read: The Trump Doctrine: What Ukraine Says About Trump’s Foreign Policy

Dems Can Learn From the Patriots… “On to Milwaukee”

by with No Comment FeaturedPoliticsSports

I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase “We’re on to Cincinnati.” This was the famous line used by New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick during a Monday Night Football postgame conference. He used the phrase after the New England Patriots were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs (not those Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes) 41-14, and fell to 2-2 in the early 2014 season.

The reason behind the phrase, and Bill Belichick’s entire coaching style for that matter, was that the loss was not due to the Chiefs, but due to the Patriots. “On to Cincinnati” was his way of saying… look we got blown out, we’ll adjust, it’s on to the next game to do what we do best… win.

The Patriots would hold true to that and beat the tiger stripes off the Cincinnati Bengals… 43-17. And oh, that Bengals team went to the playoffs the year prior and the same 2014 season the Patriots beat them. 

You see, the secret sauce to the Patriots success is their relentless discipline to only focus on one opponent at one time. And each opponent is analyzed with the same mindset that they can beat the Patriots. In other words, the Patriots focus on their own strengths against the weakness of their opponents… in order to beat them. 

2020 Presidential Election… 

At the time of this writing (October 2019), there are more legit Democratic candidates than teams in the NCAA tournament! And though there are many candidates… they all have the same mindset…

DEFEAT TRUMP! 

The same mindset… from the useless impeachment orchestrated by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to each and every Democratic candidate during debates using Trump as their rally call to gain an edge against their opponents. 

We know Trump is terrible, so what… his base is MORE entrenched now than they were in 2016. Which means that if a lackluster candidate wins the nomination for the Democratic Party… you’re looking at a close night come Tuesday, November 3rd 2020. 

So what’s the answer? Go to Milwaukee and double down on bold clear agendas on why a Democratic president is needed moving forward. No matter who it is, the policies are what matter. That’s the Patriots way. That’s why they went 3-1 without Tom Brady and 11-5 overall him during their 2016 Super Bowl Season. Because for the Patriots… opponents don’t matter… THEY DO. 

So go to Milwaukee Dems. Make bold declarations that the Democrats along with its newly elected president will be bold on the environment, be bold on fixing immigration, full legalization of marijuana, universal healthcare, and so on.  

Make the race about principles over (Trump) the person, because the current way isn’t working. Dems need to go to Milwaukee and plan to win in November 2020. The Patriots are great because they focus on one team and one game at a time. Despite starting the 2014 season 2-2, the “on to Cincinnati” Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl. And Dems can do the same. 

Similar Read: The Language of the Soul: The Power of Sports

Guyger Found Guilty, and We’re Shocked

by with No Comment CultureFeatured

“It was unreasonable — she should’ve known she was in the wrong apartment … that is garbage.” – Assistant District Attorney’s comments about Amber Guyger’s testimony 

Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer, who shot and killed Botham Jean after entering his apartment, was convicted of murder. And people are shocked. Not because she didn’t deserve to be convicted, but because so often when the victim is black or brown, and the murderer deserves to be convicted, they’re often acquitted and allowed to return to their normal everyday lives. People are so used to seeing people literally get away with murder, that when the person is convicted they have to pause and reflect on how good justice feels. When you’re conditioned for a certain result or outcome, you’re taken aback when that result is different, especially when the expected result is negative.

When the verdict was announced, we heard stories of people taking a moment from work to cry, to call their close friends, and just rejoice that for once justice was reached when in similar cases it’s usually not. And that’s unfortunate, yet that’s the reality and culture of the criminal justice system in America. Acquittals are expected when the defendant suggests they were in “fear of their life.” That seems to be the go-to line for all murderers, especially when the victim is black, brown, and unarmed. Can’t blame them, because it works. No matter the evidence or who escalated it… even when it’s egregious like George Zimmerman playing neighborhood cop and following Trayvon Martin despite the dispatcher telling him not to. Entering someone’s apartment and then crying wolf after you murder them falls along the same lines of bizarre and extremely odd, but unlike Zimmerman, Guyger was found guilty. 

Botham Jean is never coming back, and that’s a tragedy. But at least this time his family and community can find solace in the fact that justice was served in the form of a conviction.

Similar Read: Antwon Rose 

What a Fall From Grace

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedGen ZGun Debate

While I’ve been in college only for four and a half years, it feels as if I’ve been there twice as long because so much has changed from the time I enrolled and to now.

I entered college under Barack Obama and will be graduating under Donald Trump. I’ve watched Trump gradually tear down what little Obama was able to build, branding it as ineffective, but was unable to come up with anything better.

In my junior year, I interned with The Japan Times when I studied abroad in Japan. Every day without fail, Trump would be on the front page with new or recurring shenanigans. Through a different cultural lens, I was able to look at my president, at my country and see how we are continuing to plummet from grace.

The mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL happened while I was abroad. When I returned home, there were many more mass shootings. There were many more shootings in general, which claimed the lives of innocent people for unjustifiable reasons.

If we put forth legislation to regulate the gun market, people will claim that it’s an infringement on their second amendment rights, and/or use under-the-table methods to obtain a gun. It turns out that the more you tell someone to do something, the more likely it is for them to do the opposite.

This holds true in terms of immigration as well. Everyone’s circumstances for emigrating from their home countries are different, though more often than not, it is a better option to take a chance on America versus staying home. Under this anti-immigration presidency, immigrants have been treated worse than I’ve ever seen in my life. Separating children from their adult relatives, housing these children and adults in separate detainment camps without the barest of essentials, and making these children stand trials without translators or juries are just a few of the inhumane efforts to deport these immigrants.

America was built on immigration and continues to thrive today because of immigration. Yet, xenophobia has a vice grip on some Americans. The fear of foreignness coupled with the misconception that immigrants are taking over our economy result sometimes in fatal events like the mass shooting in El Paso, TX.

I continue to watch as our “magnificent” country further deteriorate because that’s all I can do when I don’t know what to do or what can be done. 

Similar Read: Fascism 101

Impeachment? A Lot of Questions and Very Few Answers

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

They say that timing is everything and you should not rush into anything that could have a lasting impact. Well on Monday, after much consulting with colleagues and other invested parties, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi decided to call the question of impeachment for President Donald J. Trump. Some question her timing, did she wait too long? What was she waiting on in the first place? Why now and what is the game plan moving forward?

If you go back in time to when he was elected in 2016, there were already hints that he had worked with the Russians through family ties and others to get information on his opponent, Senator Hilary Clinton, that would help him become what we know now as our 45th President. After the Mueller investigation concluded with such lackluster results, the world still wanted to know how is this guy still in office. It was not until an insider with knowledge of Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine tipped off authorities did members of the Democratic Party get the smoking gun they needed to enact and solidify Trump’s fate to be impeached. A phone call where Trump tried to strong-arm information on one of his political rivals, former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden and him doing business in Ukraine. Trump’s response was that of a person who felt he did nothing wrong. “Yes, I did talk to the President of Ukraine. It was a perfect call,” said Trump on his talk with the Ukrainian President.

Trump admitting to talking to the President of Ukraine and asking him to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings to use that against Vice President Joe Biden is a violation of his duties as the President of the United States of America, no matter how you slice it. Trump used his office for political gain just like the former Governor from Illinois, Rob Blagojevich did in 2009, when he tried to sell the vacated Senate seat of President Barack Obama when he was elected to the office. Blagojevich has served 7 years of his 14-year sentence.

So now what?

Well, members of the majority controlled Democratic House have to vote unanimously to impeach him and then the process begins. Looking at how many people have come out in support of impeachment from Congress, Democrats like Al Green of Texas, John Lewis of Maryland and freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, you would think they are ready to take the vote and move it on to the Senate, which is controlled by the Republican Party… the same Republican Party whose majority leader is Mitch McConnell and who some have called a puppet of Donald Trump.

One can only wonder how long this is going to take? Will it impact the election season which is already underway? Will the base that Trump has handled so well continue to support him, or will they slowly drift away? What about Vice President Joe Biden? Will he take a stand for Hunter who was wrongly singled out by Trump… who, of course, is looking for one of his usual distractions from a number of recent bad dealings, such as tariffs, guns and mass shootings, his alienation of all of our allies and lastly, his friend and supporter Putin from Russia.

Looks like we’ll have to wait and see.

Similar Read: Important Takeaways From the Mueller Testimony