Hot Afghan Summer

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

Despite current events, I must start with a shameless plug and state, love is in the air! It’s lingering around me like the Delta variant. Recently, I got engaged to my girlfriend, and this has been a very joyous time for us. In addition to my engagement, I’ve been busy writing a full feature film entitled “This Thing of Ours.” It’s a romantic comedy that follows a group of 30ish people dating, marrying, or doing a little bit of everything in between today’s social world of Covid and online dating. 

Given I’ve been surrounded by so many lovey-dovey oriented things, I’ve even thought about current events in relation to dating. Specifically, Afghanistan… and thinking if Afghanistan were a person, she would be Jennifer Lopez. Like J Lo, Afghanistan has had interactions with the greatest and most powerful, yet none have been able to stay. 

And there’s a good reason for this. Afghanistan that is, not the J Lo dating history.   

Back in the summer of 2019, when the world was still innocent and free of being attached to the greatest global health crisis since the 1918 Flu pandemic, Houston-based rapper Megan Thee Stallion released, “Hot Girl Summer.” A catchy little number about… well… being a hot girl in the summer. Meg, (is that what she goes by?), stated the song is simply about “being yourself” and “having a good time.” And like “Hot Girl Summer,” messaging is for people not to follow someone else’s rules for love, but follow your way. A political “Hot Girl Summer” should be applied to Afghanistan. Given the history of the country with constant foreign power intervention, Afghanistan should just be left alone and be single for a while. Let her get a new hairdo, go out for a 60-dollar brunch, even let her post dozens of dog-eared filter pictures, just let Afghanistan be her for a while. 

Dating back to Alexander the Great in 330 BC, nations have tried to either conquer or control the Afghanistan region and people. The latest being the United States, whose involvement with the nation should have only been intelligence and law enforcement… instead, it became another decades-long terrible abusive relationship known far too well to the Afghan people. 

This must end, for there has never been a positive outcome for any nation trying to force their hand with Afghanistan. What should happen is the allowance of an organic government and making it work best for the Afghan people. That outcome might not even be a political science-worthy name for it, but it will be solely for the Afghan people. 

This is true for dating. 

Either a single person themselves or their social networks always will find the need to force a situation on someone, simply to be with someone. Other nations want to force their will on Afghanistan… it’s wrong and should be changed. Some of that “change for democracy” is laced with capitalism and exploitation of resources; however, it doesn’t change the savage nature of the Taliban. The Taliban is one of the most intolerable, hostile, violent, and unproductive governments seen in modern times. With that being said, the nation up until a few weeks ago did experience two decades of some type of freedom and democracy. I just don’t believe a country the size of Texas, with a population bigger than Texas, will simply allow the Taliban to lay rule once again without disruption or outright taking over. 

Love amongst couples is best to be left alone. No matter what you or anyone else thinks, you can’t legislate love. Because one doesn’t like another’s sexual orientation, or the look of their partner, their religion, or whatever, said couple is still going to find a way to be together. No matter how powerful a nation, their people can only be “controlled” or “managed” for so long. They yearn for independence and fate being decided solely by them is the spirit of all people. And if they have to be just “Jenny from the block to do it”, so be it. 

Cuomo Needs to Resign, Here’s Why

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Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s troubles are reaching a saturation point with the public and many congressional Democrats, who are demanding that he step down. As more women come forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, the more comical his refusal to resign becomes. These revelations come after data from the New York Department of Health revealed that Covid deaths in nursing homes were underreported by as much as 50 percent, leaving out deaths of patients that had been transferred out of nursing homes to hospitals. This discovery alone should be enough for Cuomo to resign. However, he denied that there was a discrepancy and refused to take responsibility, calling it a delay in reporting.

Since the election, which ousted Trump from the Oval office and ushered in the Biden Administration, the polarization of the American people is more prominent than ever. Many on the far right continue to push unfounded claims of a stolen vote, and the far left appears to still be gloating at President Biden’s significant, yet hotly contested, win. Biden is walking a fine line as he attempts to promote his unity message, and has said nothing about Cuomo’s scandals.

Biden has worked hard to promote his $1.9 trillion Covid relief package, and has been vocal about promoting the role of women in his administration, so his silence seems weird – and intentional. Several members of Congress, as well as New York mayor Bill DeBlasio and others, have made it clear that they believe Cuomo needs to resign.

Cuomo, who has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, appears to be taking a page out of his playbook. The Trump Administration ran roughshod over government and individual accountability over the last four years, denying wrongdoing for obvious transgressions, covering up scandals, and eroding public trust in our democracy. Democrats have made it quite clear that they would make (GOP) politicians accountable for their corruption. By logical extension, this should apply to all politicians, and many Democrats appear to be willing to apply that to members of their own party. Cuomo, on the other hand, is doubling down on his self-righteousness, defending the grievous gap in nursing home Covid deaths and expressing hollow regret for his actions toward the women he allegedly harassed.

Democrats have tenuous control of Congress, and Cuomo is endangering the delicate balance. He is handing the GOP the ammo it needs to wrestle back control in 2022. The New York state Assembly has authorized an impeachment investigation in an effort to remove the stain of his alleged misdeeds before they become permanent. That will take time, however – and more accusations may come forth, making Cuomo and the Democrats look even worse. This is as close to a guarantee that the GOP can grab back control of Congress as one might get.

Cuomo needs to acknowledge the scandals, express true contrition, and step down. He can make the hard choice, or have the choice made for him. His ouster – whether by resigning or impeachment – is inevitable.

Similar article: Being Incarcerated with COVID-19… What They’re Not Telling Us

TRUMP-19

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Last night over dinner my eldest son, almost 8, asked me if Donald Trump had become rich by winning the lottery. Amused, I told him that Trump’s father was already a rich man when his son Donald started making his own money in business. He replied, “I think Trump’s father got rich by making TikTok videos or something similar.” I don’t know where my son got familiar with TikTok as no one in our family owns an account, and the anachronism was of course a good reason for my partner and I to have a good laugh, but then I started reflecting on my son’s vision of the world. 

Two years ago, they didn’t know who Donald Trump was, and Covid-19 didn’t even exist. Since January 2020, these have been our main focuses, as we watched the news of the world and commented on both situations, in both cases appalled by what we heard and saw. We have since learnt how to keep a safe distance with other people, how to wear a mask correctly, how to wash our hands thoroughly. We have learnt that being a racist, a misogynist, a con man and a liar could make you, then destroy you. Or not exactly… 

To be honest, the overrepresentation of Trump and his acolytes in the media was almost as much a sore as the literal toll Covid-19 was taking on humanity. Waiting shakily for the weekly update on the toll, the safety measures and closures, wondering whether schools would close again was, and still is, our daily lot. Comic relief came in the form of a character Shakespeare would not have disowned in this larger-than-life tragedy. How many times did I think I had heard it all, only to be contradicted the next day? I didn’t attempt to count, and I am glad I didn’t. Rather, I used Trump as a lesson to teach my sons about truth, respect, tolerance and fair-play. I told them they were growing up in a very special time, and they needed to remember that our planet defends itself against us sometimes, just as we defend ourselves against people like Donald Trump. 

I watched, flabbergasted, as the Capitol rioters claimed to rescue their nation from the Big Bad Democrats. I watched as they invaded, threatened, broke, stole, and laughed. I watched as they made excuses for themselves claiming they were just doing what the President had enticed them to do, powerless as he was to fight against this newly born evil called defeat. I watched as the President himself failed to bear the consequences of his words, his acts and his lies. I was lucky enough to watch, instead of lying in a hospital bed attached to a ventilator. This, I told my sons, is how a dictator falls. This is how a nation realizes it must stand together stronger and reclaim what is their founding principle: justice and freedom for all. It didn’t take long for me to be disappointed. The decision to reject the impeachment of the now-former President of the United States is a political move, by no means justice. You may loathe or love the man, but you must recognize him for what he is, and has always been: a selfish, arrogant, and spoilt megalomaniac. Losing the election was only fair revenge considering the harm he did to the American people. The ultimate step was to acknowledge that he had behaved the same way as those leaders he admires so much. Impeaching him was the only way to tell the Americans they had been swindled, mistreated, and lied to. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That we had to wait for it to happen –again— in the Land of the Free, couldn’t be more ironic.

If Biden, or anyone, wants to help fix this broken country, he must start with the people who claim they are dedicating their life to making it great. The fracture between Democrats and Republicans can heal, just like a broken bone, with reason and admission of guilt, not excuses. Fresh faces representing the USA’s multiculturalism will be needed to cement and reinforce the unity. Donald Trump shattered an already fragile skeleton, watched it crumble and danced onto its pieces. His failure to address the issues revolving around the pandemic contributed to his downfall, but the level of protection he benefits from is properly shameful. Aristotle’s assertion that all communities aim at some good only serves to highlight the decision-makers as prioritizing their own good at the cost of their country’s. We are witnessing a very special moment in history as the whole world is fighting a deadly virus. Since we have to rely on our governments to drive us through this crisis, now their time has come to shine, although making amends is sometimes the only way.  

By refusing to impeach Donald Trump, the Republicans have lost the trust many Americans, but also world citizens, had in justice. Sadly, I presume they have also gained unconditional support from those who think that getting away with crime is proof of leadership and strength. I do believe there’s dignity to be found in acknowledging one’s mistakes before starting anew. Hopefully, my sons will grow up to see the USA stand again, proud to be free as a true democracy, and Donald Trump will never be on TikTok. 

Similar Read: Post-Covid: Look to Japan

An Attempt at Redemption in the 11th Hour

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

One question keeps playing over and over in my mind. Was it worth it? Four people are dead. More than 60 people arrested, and 50 police officers injured is the direct result of the onslaught on Capitol Hill. I keep asking myself: Was it worth it?  

As I sat and watched, alongside the rest of the world, Trump followers under the guidance of their (cult) leader, ripped through the Capitol to terrorize Congress members, and attempted to derail the vote to certify President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory. Chaos ensued and members of Congress were forced to shelter in place in order to avoid the dangers that awaited them just outside of their doors. All I could seem to ask is “was it worth it?” Was the violence worth it… a culmination of years of lies and propaganda put forth by the President and backed and promoted by the GOP worth the attempted slaughter of our democracy? 

Here we are, now at the end of an anarchic assault, members now wanting to chastise the President’s inciteful actions and we, the American people, are supposed to just accept that? 

I’m not impressed by the sudden change of heart of those Republican Senators whose intentions were to object to the certification, but now decide to move forward with the vote. I’m not impressed by the statements of Senator Lindsey Graham now wanting to publicly state that President Trump’s actions were reprehensible. The fact that Graham is “embarrassed and disgusted” does not absolve him of his involvement, quite frankly, his redemption song is bullshit. We won’t forget. Americans won’t forget.

I find myself wondering how this country can become unified when those who helped launch this attack will ultimately not see consequences for their actions? Senator Graham, Senator Cruz, Senator Hawley, and the like put themselves and their own political self-interests first.

In two weeks’ time, the nation will usher in a new administration, yet we’re left with members of our government who are just as culpable? What are their consequences for fanning the flames to literally overthrow our democracy? As the calls for Trump’s removal increase, so should the removal of those members of Congress who have aided and abetted him in his thinly veiled attempt to turn our democracy into a totalitarian dictatorship.        

This 11th-hour redemption by GOP members is nothing short of a failed hail mary. I only can assume that these new condemnations come with the hope that the American people will overlook the roles they played in the embarrassment and shameful acts that took place on January 6, 2021. The American people should NEVER FORGET what they tried to do to our democracy. As the new administration prepares to take office on January 20th, our nation can begin to have hope in our Democracy again.

Similar Read: My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill

My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

One of the things I’ve found really interesting about the events of the last year is that feeling of “what now?” that seemed to be ever-present. Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse or even in those brief moments when we got the opportunity to take a deep breath or a sigh of relief, there was a consistent dark cloud figuratively looming overhead.

Now, on a day when we’re finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the impending Senate flip, we’re reminded that it ain’t over yet. It’s infuriating to see people, who had their fingers pointed during the fight for Black and Brown lives, storm the Capitol in the name of being sore losers.

I am mind boggled at the fact that they were able to enter the walls of the Capitol building without even the threat of a rubber bullet or tear gas. Where was this calm when people were genuinely and peacefully seeking justice?

I’m appalled at the lax reaction from people watching this all unfold and I hope the actions of these thugs force those who have been silent to hold up a mirror to themselves and audit their inactions that have emboldened these domestic terrorists. These hooligans have identified themselves, and we as a country have to decide how we are going to proceed.

No more standing by idle. It is time for action. It is time to make our stance clear. We cannot continue to be passive. We must continue to disempower the system of bigotry and hate that has fueled this country for so long. Enough is enough!

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Human Extinction (Brought to You by Capitalism)

by with 3 Comments FeaturedGen Z

With the impacts of climate change already being confronted today and the catastrophes expected in the not-too-distant future, one would think that daily massive demonstrations and a restructuring of everyday life would be taking place all around the world. Is the threat of human extinction not a large enough impetus to snap the masses into action? The moral plague that is capitalism has paved the road to our extinction. The question now, and arguably the most important of our time, is whether or not we will address the ill-effects and effectively rid the world of the environmental destruction that capitalism has cast upon our world.  

Heavy-use of fossil fuels, industrial agriculture, and lifestyle choices are all aspects of the system that require analysis as we work towards minimizing humans’ contributions to climate change. One must note that these aspects are products of capitalism; they have caused the amount of degradation that they have due to the way in which world powers have adopted this exploitative system. Societies around the world must begin transitioning to renewable energy, switching to a farming system that is based upon agroecology, and leading more humble, sustainable lives. Addressing all of these aspects are necessary and commendable starting points but stopping there results in addressing only part of the issue at hand. We must interrogate the entire system that has led to this; we must interrogate capitalism. 

Central to capitalism is individualism; the value of one’s self over (and especially at the expense of) the well-being of society and its people. A true democracy is necessary to effectively challenge corporations’ contributions to climate change. Democracy requires strong, organized communities, something that the toxic value of individualism directly threatens. Under capitalism, it is not the people who have the power, but the corporations and the 1%. Individualism has served as a distraction in the way that it has prevented the masses from joining together to protect the Earth and its people from exploitation. We must abandon individualism and work towards rebuilding our communities so that we are better equipped to challenge corporations that continue to lead us down the path of extinction. 

Another value central to capitalism – and equally as dangerous as individualism – is that of “competition” or Social Darwinism, the theory that fueled individualism. This theory provides people with reason to view the Earth as something that must be conquered. Today we often hear political commentators and guests on corporate news explain the importance of competition and its apparent link to innovation in society. According to these folks, humans are, naturally, always competing with one another. This view is very much anti-human, as humans require one another to survive. In order to be a “winner” in this competition, you must exploit the Earth, you must over-consume, you must actively work towards not cooperating with others and the world around you. In order to “survive” in this “competition” of life, you must produce not what you need, not what your community needs, but as much as you can until all of your resources are used. You must not consume what you need, rather you must consume until you no longer have the resources to do so. It is an odious cycle fueling our extinction.

These values are at the core of capitalism, and the institutions which our society revolves around are founded upon capitalism and its ideals. It is because of this soul-crushing system, and of course our impending extinction, that we must urgently come together and radically restructure society. We cannot rely on the workings of capitalism to save us from this threat, nor can we only address practices that are simply a product of this system. We must actively challenge all that we have been conditioned to believe and accept. We must recreate strong, unified communities. The masses must recognize their collective power and work together to challenge the few who are leading us to the end of human civilization. 

This article was originally published on 3 October 2018.

Similar Read: A Center-Right Response to Climate Change

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2020 Election… A Vote for Humanity

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

[New Contributor]

With nearly 100 million people casting their votes early, this 2020 election has not only become a free for all for our democracy, but a fight for our humanity.  2020 has been, without a doubt, a complete shit show.  

Our President’s lack of preparation and response to COVID-19, his response to the ongoing systemic racism highlighted by the shootings of unarmed Black men and women by police, his slow refusal to denounce White Supremacists, and his personal attacks on members of Congress, the media and other individuals, has sent Americans further down the proverbial rabbit hole desperate for a way out from when we entered back in 2017.

The protests from his 2017 inauguration should have been an indication that our nation was going to be in for one hell of a term. If you weren’t convinced during his 2016 presidential campaign that maybe just maybe he was not the man for the job, Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma made that clear. It was evident by the slow response of the government during this time of crisis that our now President simply did not care; no empathy. How would you feel if a hurricane literally took away everything you had in seconds? I doubt you’d find comfort from our Commander in Chief, tossing you paper towels as a way to help alleviate the pain and suffering that you’d be experiencing.

His constant lies and disregard for basic human compassion leaves us to question: What kind of person is running our country?  

A 74-year-old man who never discovered that path to maturity and has remained an egocentric megalomaniac; a man that lives at the intersection of self-centeredness and limited judgment. A racist.

Racial tensions in this country have been felt for more than 400 years. Despite attempts to be subtle by our counterparts (White people… you’re not), we can see that shit plain as day. The death of George Floyd served as the tipping point for everyone.   The deep-seated pain of the past 400 years erupted overnight across America plunging us back in history as if were the 1960s. So what happens when the president exacerbates the racial tensions arising from the deaths of several unarmed Black men and women by police? We have the perfect recipe to incite a race war.   

Further down the rabbit hole we go. Here is where dissension among friends and family happen. Discord and dissension breed mistrust and where there is mistrust among people, there lies division. We cannot afford division. I have faith that as a nation, we care enough collectively to help impact change.

I have faith that this nation collectively gives a damn enough to impart change. Joe Biden is now President-Elect, and all of humanity depends on his presidency.

Similar Read: Should Biden’s VP be a Black Woman?

3 Scenarios in the 2020 Election… Which One Will Play Out?

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

There are a few scenarios that could play out…

  1. Trump wins.
  2. Biden wins by a landslide.
  3. Biden wins, but it’s really close and we have a contested election.

If you’re a Democrat or supporting Biden, you’re hoping #2 plays out and we can begin to heal and get back to normal. Many would argue that normal wasn’t working for African-Americas and other minorities pre-COVID or pre-Trump, but the revolutionary crowd has been overshadowed by historic all-out voting efforts to rid the nation of Trump.

If Trump wins, COVID-19 cases and deaths will continue to rise until a vaccine is passed… who knows when that’ll be. If Biden wins by a landslide, I think most common sense people believe his administration will begin to take the necessary steps to reduce COVID-19 cases and ultimately deaths, prior to the arrival of a vaccine.

But if it appears that Biden has won by the narrowest of margins, expected a contested election. Hence why Trump and Republicans fought so hard to get Amy Coney Barrett confirmed prior to the election. You can argue that they actually didn’t have to fight that hard… soundbites from congressional hearings today are nothing but political theatre with no real influence to sway a nomination. We know that from watching the emotional testimony of Christine Blasey Ford at the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. As damning as it was, he was confirmed as if it never happened.

More than 350 lawsuits have already been filed throughout the country regarding votes and mail-in ballots. When there is an election dispute, which several already exist in multiple states, that dispute will go to a state court. However, if or when someone charges that a federal constitutional right has been violated, then it goes to the Supreme Court as it did with Bush v. Gore in the 2000 election. And to add context, that was just in one state, Florida. It could very well happen in several states this year.

With the unfortunate and untimely passing of RBG, and the overnight confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court now leans 6 – 3 in favor of Republicans. Voters should decide elections, not courts… especially when 3 of the deciding judges have been nominated by the sitting President who’s very fate lies in the balance.

Similar Read: RBG… A Critical Look at Our Leaders Staying in Office Too Long

The 37th Best Place to Live in America

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In the late ’90s, my parents brought me home to a suburban town in northern Connecticut near the Massachusetts line. The town was quaint, with old houses touting 18th century New England, and a community that seemed to protect and serve one another. This was the town I always wanted to be a part of, and in many aspects today would like to have felt nostalgic for. However, when we celebrate the past, we always seem to glorify the beautiful parts, the memories that make us feel good rather than the brutal truth – and the truth is if I had grown up in 18th century New England, I would have been a slave – one of 5 in the town at the time.

But instead, I grew up in a town that was 92% white. The seemingly perfect town filled with church members, soccer moms, lovers of their community, has a glaringly dark past with racism. All that to say – that the town where I grew up is a place where black people make up only 2% of the total population and no one seemed to care.

We don’t talk about what it means to be such a small minority in a place that is reportable “safe” and a great place to live. I don’t disagree that it is “safe”, but these statistics are made by and for white people. My memories of the town are distorted but I know of the trials and tribulations that my family went through and other Black people, even if they try to hide behind high-end cars and responsibility politics. The truth is that towns like mine are “perfect” in theory because they intentionally exclude others who threaten their collective identity. They run away from the issues at hand and instead put on a shiny smile like parents attending their kid’s fundraising event, to deflect that they are in fact not perfect and sustained oppressive systems. If you are “perfect” then issues such as mental health, poverty, sexism, racism, and more don’t exist.

I went to school from kindergarten to high school here. I only had one black teacher in middle school who wanted to make me feel like I belonged. I didn’t. I knew it. And he did too. But he tried because he knew what I would be facing throughout my life. But the other teachers and neighbors were stronger, using their polite demeanors to constantly surveil and harass me into knowing my place. The racism tied with sexism, wealth discrimination, and prejudice because of my family’s status as black immigrants was psychological warfare served with a smile.

Fast forward to today while black men and women are killed constantly and our ideals of democracy for all are crumbling. I’m bombarded with fake activism on my social media feed and then puppies or someone’s trip to Long Island. It’s a weird type of dystopia. Justice still has not been served – not to Breonna Taylor, not to Trayvon Martin, not to George Floyd, and not to the 2% of Black alumni who attended these primarily white institutions alone. They all deserve better. We deserve better and I am empowered by the lives of other Black alumni and people of color across the nation; whose parents worked to put them into systems that would benefit them, only to realize those systems were not created for them. We are resilient, and we won’t be held to the standards of the systems that oppressed us. Now is the time to act. We are the 2%. Support black alumni in Connecticut and across the nation by signing the petition now.

Petition: Improve Racial Inclusivity in Tolland Public Schools

Why Are You Watching the Debates?

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

At this point, it may as well be a WWE event complete with a cage and metal chairs.

How does this version of “debate” (read: “shouting match”) help anyone decide who should lead our country?

Is the ability to be physically more dominant really the trait that defines a world leader? In this case, literally, an ape would be the best qualified President.

Physical human power as a measure of leadership has been obsolete since the invention of the gun. There is no leader in the last 100 years that has been in a hand-to-hand combat situation requiring superior strength or mixed martial arts training.

There has not been a situation, probably EVER, where military or diplomatic victory was achieved by a superior shouting or talk-over ability by one side.

The things that matter for assessing a President are their policies, past behavior, history of decisions, growth as an individual, resilience, and general presentation as a figurehead for our country.

If none of those issues are able to take the forefront in a Presidential debate, there is no point in anyone watching any more of them.

Similar Read: What a Disgrace, But Should Anyone Be Surprised?