Is Tillerson Next?

by with One Comment FeaturedGen ZPolitics

Rex might be on the way out. On October 9, 2017, we published an article detailing his troubles with the State Department. Since then, rumors of his feud with Donald Trump have continued. Our initial article below might include some of the reasons for what seems to be his inevitable departure.

[Rex Tillerson’s War Against the State Department]

Rex Tillerson has had a less-than-illustrious tenure as Secretary of State so far. Perhaps it’s because he seems to be more focused on reorganizing the department than on, you know, diplomacy. His striking lack of success has lead many to call for his resignation and for him to be called the “most ineffectual secretary of state since 1898,” by respected Foreign Policy columnist Max Boot. 

The Trump administration has made it exceedingly clear that it does not consider diplomacy a priority. According to some metrics compiled by the New York Times, under Tillerson’s leadership, the department has had its lowest profile in nearly half a century. Democracy promotion has been erased from the State Department’s mission statement and the Trump Administration has made every effort to cut key foreign aid programs. 

Part of the reason the department has been so ineffective is because the administration has failed to fill an inexcusable amount of key positions. Only one Assistant Secretary of State has been confirmed and the vast majority do not even have nominees. (Here’s a list compiled by The Washington Post of unfilled positions.) To put this in perspective the United States is currently facing a nuclear standoff in North Korea without an Undersecretary (or Assistant Secretary for that matter) for Arms control. While the federal government’s hiring freeze has been rescinded it remains in effect at the State Department. Until recently, state department officials were not allowed to serve on the National Security Council omitting an essential perspective from national security decisions. 

Tillerson’s mismanagement of the State Department has caused many senior diplomats to leave, further weakening State’s ability to conduct diplomacy. At the same time, Tillerson has suspended the prestigious fellowship programs that allow bright young minds to enter the department. Some of these fellows have their salaries paid by outside institutions, so Tillerson is essentially rejecting free labor. On top of all these other issues, there is growing evidence that the Secretary of State is on the outs with his boss. According to several sources, Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Secretary Tillerson.

Just like pretty much everybody else in the government, lawmakers on Capitol Hill also seem to be fed up with the Secretary. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill that completely upended the administration’s plans to make significant cuts to foreign aid and diplomacy initiatives – providing $11 billion more than requested. Not only did they allocate more funds than Tillerson wanted, they also included management amendments in the bill that severely limit the Secretary’s ability to reorganize the department. For example, the bill limits the size of the Policy Planning Staff – something that Tillerson had been expanding and that career State Department officials felt was undermining their ability to influence policy.

Now to be sure not everything Secretary Tillerson does is awful. His willingness to distance himself from Donald Trump’s remarks on Charlottesville is admirable and some of his reorganization initiatives do make a lot of sense. But the State Department still needs to serve its primary function – namely advancing US diplomatic interests – something it has not been able to do effectively under Rex Tillerson’s leadership. The decline of America’s diplomatic arm can only lead to an increased reliance on hard (military) power. A Senate report sums up this issue pretty nicely: “The lessons learned since September 11, 2001, include the reality that defense alone does not provide for American strength and resolve abroad. Battlefield technology and firepower cannot replace diplomacy and development.” 

This article was originally published on 9 October 2017.

Reflection… When Trolling Backfires

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Two weeks ago, a New Jersey high school decided to travel to Washington DC to tour our Nation’s capital. Lunch at Howard University’s Bethune Annex Cafeteria was on their schedule, and two of their female students decided to wear Trump tee shirts and Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats during their visit. Needless to say, or I wouldn’t be writing about this, their experience did not go as smoothly as planned. The two girls would later post a lengthy tweet detailing the “harassment and racism” they experienced while on campus. Howard University’s social media accounts were in an uproar and many alt-right and Trump supporters responded posting negative comments on every post mentioning Howard University.

This incident is nothing more than trolling gone bad.

Founded in 1867, Howard University, is a private research university comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Most importantly, Howard University is a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). 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. For years, HBCUs have provided African Americans a safe space to learn and grow without the constant second-guessing because of the color of our skin. As an alumnus of an HBCU, I will say an added benefit is learning more about Black American and African history that is not traditionally taught in school. Learning this history establishes pride and teaches you to love your Blackness, though the world tries to convince you it’s a negative.

Knowing this history of Howard University – what made these girls, White girls at that, think parading around an HBCU in Trump and MAGA paraphernalia was a good idea… a week after Trump refused to immediately denounce white supremacists in a press conference following the Charlottesville incident? Maybe that’s the problem, they didn’t know the history of HBCUs, which is indeed a part of American history. It has been noted that black students on the tour advised them not to go on Howard’s campus wearing that particular shirt and hat. Also, some upperclassmen who saw the girls walking towards the Annex cafeteria told them it’s best not to wear that shirt and hat on campus simply because Howard University is an HBCU. The two girls, unfortunately, chose not to heed the multiple warnings, which makes many people believe their true intentions were to bait a reaction out of the Howard students (in true troll fashion).

I am sick of hearing the freedom of speech/expression excuse when a person is blatantly disrespectful. Just because you can say and do what you want does not mean you are free of consequences and get to play the victim. If you choose to not pay your taxes, that is perfectly fine as it is your choice. However, there is a high probability that you are eventually going to jail. If you walk down the street in an area where there is a lot of gang activity wearing the opposing gang members’ colors, be prepared for the backlash. These girls were warned yet they chose to be disrespectful and offensive in someone’s house, disturbing their peace. Just as it is viewed as disrespectable for an American woman to walk around in a Muslim country wearing booty shorts and a low-cut shirt, it is just as offensive to walk around an HBCU wearing paraphernalia of a man who refuses to denounce white supremacists, but wants to bring back Stop and Frisk (a tactic which disproportionately targets African Americans). I blame their chaperones, the supposed adults, on the trip as well. Why did they not say anything to these girls? Why were they not inclined to have a conversation about etiquette and courtesy in someone else’s space? Why did they not do research on the history of Howard University if they planned to visit the campus? Were these teachers not trained in cultural sensitivity? I have so many questions for these so-called adults. Overall, there is too much political correctness in letting the oppressor continue his oppression, and Howard University students weren’t about to sit around and be trolled in their safe space without speaking up for themselves.

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Mayweather, Race, and The Great White Hope

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

Let’s face it; race relations in our country are declining and showing no sign of improvement. People have been forced to pick sides and compromising seems like the last resort. Many people on the right find themselves defending Trump and his agenda, and many on the left find themselves sarcastically asking, “What about her emails?”. The Charlottesville incident and the unfortunate murder of Heather Heyer hasn’t helped, and Trump’s tone deaf response and his inability to immediately denounce white supremacy seemed to add insult to injury, which made many Republican’s publicly criticize his “both sides” comment.

Our politics usually carry over to the professional arena or field of play, and boxing provides many examples, both good and bad. African Americans have dominated the sport for more than a century, and they’ve inevitably become political figures due to the social and political status of our country. In 1908, Jack Johnson became the first African American boxer to win the World Heavyweight Title. Johnson fought during a highly contentious and racist era, and his public relationships with white women only added fuel to the fire. Congress made it illegal to transport prizefighting films across state lines because they were so concerned that Johnson’s dominance of white fighters would cause race riots. In fact, many white people hoped to find a white fighter who could finally defeat him, hence the term “The Great White Hope.” Joe Louis was no different. Before his historic second fight with the German Max Schmeling, he met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House. Despite gross inequalities and racism in America (and fascism in Europe), there was no doubt that both whites and blacks were pulling for Louis to win. Shortly thereafter, Muhammed Ali followed in his footsteps as the next political figure in boxing.

Boxing is truly a unique sport, which makes it impossible for prizefighters to avoid politics whether they want to or not. Unlike most sports, boxing is a one-on-one battle – there are no teammates to lean on or backups to replace you. So it’s the true epitome of strength and perseverance. Unlike the American Olympic teams we field every 4 years, it lacks team diversity because the team is just one person, the actual boxer. Diversity is one of the main benefits of team sports; however, the lack of diversity in boxing makes the issue of race unavoidable. So whenever a big fight like Mayweather – McGregor arrives, which matches up a black fighter vs. a white fighter, race is an issue and people inevitably pick sides.

Despite Floyd Mayweather’s previous claims and convictions of domestic violence, his flashy attitude, his “all lives matter” statement, and his support of Donald Trump, many African Americans still found a reason to support and root for him. That support might be tied to rooting for black men regardless of their past shortcomings or rooting for the American athlete when his or her opponent represents another nation. On the other hand, that support might be due to their lack of knowledge regarding all of the above issues, or it might be McGregor’s flashiness and loose lips referring to a gym of black men training as “dancing monkeys” or telling Mayweather to “dance for me boy” during one of their promotional tours. Maybe it’s a combination of things, either way, I think it’s safe to say that very few African Americans were pulling for McGregor.

On the other hand, many white people were rooting against Mayweather. Maybe it was years of his arrogant attitude that they could no longer stomach, his domestic violence past, his undefeated record and wanting to root for the underdog, or maybe it was the fact that McGregor was an Irishman. Whatever their reasons were, I think it’s safe to say that McGregor’s racist comments about monkeys and dancing probably weren’t one of them, or at least didn’t impact their decision of who to root for like it did for African Americans.

Is it a naïve assumption to suggest that all African Americans were rooting for Mayweather just because he was African American, or that all white people were rooting for McGregor just because he was white? Of course, it is. But as many issues fall on racial lines, boxing, especially when the men or women fighting represent different nations, is usually no different. President Trump, on the campaign trail and during his early presidency, made patriotism a hot button issue. Despite Floyd’s support of Trump, ironically, there wasn’t much patriotism or support on display for the American fighter as he vied to remain undefeated and go 50 – 0. His victory would’ve further ingrained his place in history as arguably the best boxer of all time, and many American’s clearly wanted to see him fail.

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Red Blue 2020 Ticket?

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

According to Washington insiders, Ohio Governor (R) John Kasich and Colorado Governor (D) John Hickenlooper are apparently considering a unity presidential ticket for 2020. Charlottesville seemed to be the last straw for many Republicans. However, this is still a shocking development as such a ticket would surely shake Washington to its core. The governors are working together on immigration and healthcare, and Hickenlooper recently mentioned that he would like to continue working with Kasich on major policy issues.

How would the RNC and DNC react to a unity ticket?

Can a unity ticket defeat Trump in 2020?

Do the Democrats have a presidential and VP candidate that can compete with a Kasich and Hickenlooper ticket?

The LCR will post an update next week.

Remove Confederate Statues? The LCR Responds…

by with No Comment Uncategorized

The descendants of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson have stated that confederate statues should be removed. Yet, many American’s still have mixed feelings about the statues and their place in society. Municipalities and institutions are scrambling trying to figure out what to do. Last week, the City of Baltimore and the University of Texas decided to remove their confederate statues overnight. Our contributors share their thoughts about the meaning of the statues, and what we should do with them…

“They say the victor writes history; however, when it comes to the Civil War, the monuments tell a different story. We need to stop paying homage to men who inspired the hate we saw in Charlottesville. If we keep the monuments in place, it creates the impression that we pay homage to those men that represented oppression and hate. If we look to move past history to a state of respect and equality, we need to remove them, acknowledge the facts of slavery and the negative effects we still see today.” – Center Single Mom

“We’ve been holding on to the past for way too long. It’s time to remove those statues so that there isn’t a constant reminder of the ugly times of our past. Instead of holding on to those statues, we should be examining why they mean so much in the first place. Why are some people so intent on holding on to symbols of oppression from the past? Is it because they aren’t ready for that time to be over? If that’s not it, then why the resistance? It should be understood that those statues and monuments represent an ugly period of time in our country’s history. Those statues are the manifestation of hate for a disenfranchised group of people that never deserved the ire to begin with. If we truly want to move past that time, the statues need to go. No one needs that constant reminder of a time charged with hate. It’s time to let it go.” – Center Left HR

“Union North won the American Civil War, slavery ended, and the USA attempted to move forward together with the Confederate South even after unspeakable violence. Imagine continuing to exist in a country where your ideas are not just rejected, but physically beaten out of existence. It can’t be easy for the surviving losers. Consequently, the Confederate monuments were probably meant to be pacifiers for the defeated Southerners and their “way of life” (heavily built around slavery). However, none of those Confederates are still alive (even if their grandchildren are), and slavery is an abhorrent idea rejected entirely by more than 99% of the population. Now these monuments only stand to encourage racism and antagonize black Americans who share the same rights as everyone else to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.” – Unaffiliated Humanist Musician

“Confederate statues belong in museums not public squares. The difference between statues of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson and statues of Robert E. Lee or Jefferson Davis is that the former never waged war against the United States. It’s also important to remember that many of these statues are not meant to be historic monuments – they were erected to intimidate African Americans. There is an important distinction between remembering the dark parts of our history and glorifying them.” – Center Left College Student

When Trump held his press conference after the Charlottesville incident, in a facetious tone he hinted towards removing statues of George Washington as well. An important question – is the fight to maintain confederate monuments rooted only in reminding black people of their ancestors being enslaved? I’m not sure, but that seems to be reason they were erected in first place. Perhaps a better question – will the inability of our political leaders to listen and understand the perspectives of all Americans, and not just their voting base, cause us to one day extol another in stone, despite great ambivalence amongst our citizens?” – Independent Atlanta Teacher 

LCR Perspective: Kaepernick Vs. The NFL

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Sith Lords Run the White House?

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Steve Bannon represents a group of people who are the epitome of hate and bigotry, and that coincides with his vision of America being a very extreme place. The problem isn’t Steve Bannon – the problem is, characters like Steve Bannon find employment and comfort in the Trump administration.

Shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration, recently removed White House Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon infamously said this about the media: “They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the President of the United States.” Those two lines might be the wisest words ever uttered by Bannon. Not only do those lines accurately describe media outlets and the 24-hour frenzy following Trump’s November victory, but it also describes Steve Bannon himself and his role in the Trump administration.

Prior to being removed from his newly created White House position, Bannon was never the face of the administration. But many feared that his influence and most importantly his ideals would weigh heavily on the policies implemented by the Trump administration. Bannon seemed to have the feel of a Star Wars Sith Lord, and he nefariously embraced that image. The fear of Bannon was real, and his background had all the makings of being on the wrong side of history. From his workings at Breitbart to being labeled racist and anti-Semitic – Sith Lord Bannon, I mean Steve Bannon, luckily wasn’t on the job long enough for any of his true influence to transpire.

So, what does this mean?

For starters, a man like Bannon should’ve never held a position in the White House given his history. Imagine if President Obama had appointed the likes of Louis Farrakhan to “anything” in the White House. The outrage would’ve been immediate! If conservatives and pundits can spend weeks talking about a strapless dress worn by Michelle Obama, I’m pretty sure a Farrakhan appointment would be as action packed as the 9th installment of Fast and Furious. Nonetheless, Bannon was appointed under the title “Chief Strategist.” One would have to conclude that by selecting a man with such a past who has strong views and ideologies the Trump administration had plans to carry out or at least incorporate many of the same views and ideologies. Bannon being in the White House really isn’t of consequence, but the notion that he is able to call the White House a place of employment is of major consequence.

Going forward, those not cheering for Sith Lords and the dark side, I mean non-Trump supporters, must not bother with the musical chairs of job placement within the Trump administration. What’s most important is why certain people are there.

Post Charlottesville, Trump has made it clear there isn’t a clear line between which side of right he stands. That ambiguous stance translating towards true policy has yet to be seen, and like Bannon being fired, I hope it stays out of the White House.

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U.S. Military Leaders Denounce Racism

by with One Comment Uncategorized

Over the past week, U.S. Military leaders publicly denounced racism, hatred, and extremism. While their sentiments toward racism should be assumed, the events in Charlottesville and the president’s lackluster reaction prompted many of them to make public statements via Twitter. Rarely do such leaders in the military make public statements. However, many would suggest that they felt the need to make statements considering the unfortunate weekend in Charlottesville, which claimed the lives of three people.

John Michael Richardson is an Admiral in the United States Navy who currently serves as the 31st Chief of Naval Operations:

Robert Blake Neller is a United States Marine Corps four-star general who currently serves as the 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps:

Mark Alexander Milley is a United States Army officer. A four-star general, he is the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army: 

David Lee Goldfein is a General in the United States Air Force who currently serves as the Air Force Cheif of Staff:

You’ll notice they chose their words carefully and not one of them mentioned Trump or his administration in their tweets. Do you agree with their tweets? If yes, were they strong enough? If no, should they have tried to address their concerns with the president in private, instead of Twitter?

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Merck, Under Armour, Intel: “Unacceptable!”

by with No Comment Media

On August 14th, chief executives from three of America’s largest companies decided to step down from the President’s Manufacturing Council after the recent alt-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which the president was hesitant to immediately denounce white supremacy.  The violent weekend in Charlottesville claimed the lives of 3 people and injured 19 others.

The CEO’s explain why they left…

Kenneth Fraizer, CEO of Merck:

America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hate, bigotry, and group supremacy… As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” Kenneth Frazier’s full statement

Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel:

“I have already made clear my abhorrence at the recent hate-spawned violence in Charlottesville, and earlier today I called on all leaders to condemn the white supremacists and their ilk who marched and committed violence. I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them.” Brian Krzanich’s full statement

Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour:

“We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing… However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.” 

Is the President losing the business community? Merck’s stock jumped nearly 1% shortly after Kenneth Frazier made his statement. It should be noted that the CEO of Tesla Elon Musk and the CEO of Disney Bob Iger both stepped down from the President’s Business Advisory Council in June after the president decided to leave the Paris Climate Accord.

Related articles:

Heather Heyer, “A Very Strong Woman”

Charlottesville, VA… The LCR Responds…

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Charlottesville, Virginia… The LCR Responds…

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedPoliticsUncategorized

We asked 4 of our contributors with different political views to weigh in on the Charlottesville rally that unfortunately turned violent last week, and this is what they had to say…

“Watching the events unfold in Charlottesville, Virginia confirmed to me that we as a Nation are truly going backwards in time. Seeing the violence erupt and hearing the vile chants saddened me. I waited patiently for President Trump to come out and address the Nation. Though there are many of his stances I do not agree with, President Trump is still my Commander in Chief. Unfortunately, though he had the ear of America, President Trump’s speech left so much to be desired. I was not comforted, not inspired, and especially did not like President Trump’s underlying tone when he stated “on many sides.” – Left Healthcare Professional 

“This past weekend’s terrorist tactics of the white supremacist groups in Virginia shouldn’t be too shocking. Though outwardly violent and thankfully not the everyday norm, many non white Americans feel a form of extreme and punishing outcomes everyday. Outcomes in which white Americans never deal with. From racial driven draconian drug law enforcement to environmental racism, many Americans saw this weekend as another episode in the story in which is America.” – Independent Texan Male“

All Americans have the right to assemble and peaceably protest (even White Supremacists). The issue in Virginia is that a subsection of White Supremacists are taking violent action against their counter-protestors, possibly feeling bolstered and empowered by the aggressive rhetoric of our current President. The so-called “alt-right” no longer feels ashamed, with their ideologies represented in the White House by Steve Bannon at the very least. Although it is unfair to judge an entire group or ideology by the actions of a single terrorist in their ranks, it IS fair to judge a group by their reaction (or lack thereof) to this gravest of crimes against our Country and our Freedom. Anyone who views the violence in Charlottesville, VA as unacceptable must explicitly condemn it as so or America will endure much worse.” – Unaffiliated Humanist Musician

“The events of the last two days in Charlotesville are a worrying sign of where this country is headed. The hatred that was on display in Charlottesville as was the terrorist attack that resulted from it was both shocking and upsetting (an attack reminiscent of tactics used by ISIS). The president’s refusal to explicitly call out white nationalists was disgraceful, especially coming from the man who criticized Obama for not using the words “radical Islamic terrorism,” and was seen by those groups as a tacit signal of support. It was however encouraging to see the backlash he received for his comments from his colleagues in the GOP. One can only hope that they will continue to take principled stands against him.” – Center Left College Student 

Related articles:

Heather Heyer, “A Very Strong Woman”

Merck, Under Armour, Intel: “Unacceptable!”

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Her Name is Heather Heyer, “A Very Strong Woman”

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

A true tragedy and a senseless act of violence has claimed the life of an innocent woman and injured 19 others. Heather Heyer is the name of the woman who was unfortunately murdered this weekend when a driver plowed his car into a group of demonstrators at an alt-right rally this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heather was a 32-year old paralegal and worked in the bankruptcy division at a nearby law firm. Alfred A. Wilson, Heather’s manager at the law firm, said,

“Heather was a very strong woman. She stood up to “any type of discrimination. That’s just how she’s always been.” 

A GoFundMe page has been set up for her family and close friends. When we last checked, they had already raised more than $190,000.

The alt-right rally was held to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue.  The rally quickly became violent as alt-right protestors and counter-protestors clashed in the streets of Charlottesville. The driver who killed Heather, whose name we will not mention, traveled from Maumee, Ohio to attend the rally. He has been arrested and charged with second degree murder and malicious wounding.

Many Republicans chose not to mince their words and unequivocally denounced white supremacy and this act of violence. To the contrary, many would suggest that President Trump chose to do the opposite when he delivered his remarks.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence. On many sides.” 

Many are wondering what sides he’s referring to regarding the hatred, bigotry, and violence.

Related articles:

Charlottesville, VA… The LCR Responds…

Merck, Under Armour, Intel: “Unacceptable!”