Trump Ends DACA, America’s Top Universities Respond

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

On Tuesday, September 5th, President Trump ordered the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects some 800,000 undocumented young people who were brought to the US illegally. New applications will not be processed and Congress now has 6 months to write a law and “resolve the fate of the Dreamers.”

Trump recently tweeted:

Is this about policy? Or is this just another step to undo Obama’s work and Make America Great Again?

Speaking of Obama, he called the move by Trump “cruel” and “self-defeating.” Several top universities, most notably Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, immediately denounced Trump’s decision to end DACA.

“Columbia unequivocally opposes the ending of DACA and is working with others in higher education to urge Congress and federal officials to reinstate DACA’s protections and protect the rights of those with DACA status during and after the “wind-down” process that has been announced.” – Professor Suzanne Goldberg, Executive Vice President for University Life, Herbert and Doris Wechsler Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia Law School …Columbia University full statement

“We know the Dreamers to be gifted and successful students who have grown up in our communities, attended our schools, and who are poised to make vital contributions to our nation’s economic strength, creativity, and global competitiveness. The repeal of DACA will mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States and hundreds of billions of dollars in economic growth over the next decade.” – University of Pennsylvania full statement

Check The LCR in the coming days for following articles about DACA.

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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The Trump Train Wreck

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

The Trump Administration is on a collision course, hurtling headlong into the relative normality of the GOP. All of the unpalatable, offensive things that many of us saw so plainly long before Donald Trump was elected, are apparently now crystal clear to them for the very first time.

I have always had cause to shake my head at the GOP and the religious right on occasion, but I have never constantly been aghast at the behavior of their leaders as I have been over the last couple of years. And only now – when their “prince who was promised” has, for all intents and purposes, endorsed the politely termed “alt right” (aka racists who call themselves patriots) – are they abandoning the ship in droves.

That was the last straw for them.

Do you know what the last straw wasn’t?

The last straw was not that Trump had dealings with Putin’s shady administration, endangering national security and putting our entire country in jeopardy (don’t tell me it’s not proven; the evidence is simply being ignored by his followers).

It wasn’t the fact that he built his cabinet largely of Wall Street fat cats and coal magnates, who have the sole objective to enrich themselves, damned the poor souls who are crippled with the burden of making them richer.

It’s not the fact that he has, with the stroke of a pen, hobbled our efforts to clean up the environment by crippling the very agencies charged with that task and installing a climate change denier to head the EPA, nor by brazenly walking away from the Paris Accord.

It wasn’t the firing of James Comey, for doing nothing more than his job, nor was it the fact that he threatened to fire Robert Mueller for investigating any collusion with the Russians in his bid for the White House.

It wasn’t for praising Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for his murderous campaign against suspected drug criminals without evidence or trial.

It wasn’t that he effectively and efficiently disintegrated the United States’ credibility on the world stage, dragging our country from respectable to laughable during his first trips abroad.

It wasn’t the patently dishonest statements he has made on Twitter, in interviews and speeches, and at press conferences – all on camera – and denies having done so even when presented with the evidence.

It wasn’t the on-camera braggadocio in claiming that he can grab a woman’s genitals with impunity, or the number of lawsuits against him for sexual assault.

It was not the literally dozens of lawsuits against him for fraud and failure to pay his contractors.

The GOP and religious leaders drew a line in the sand when Trump became inconvenient and unprofitable for them. Displaying sympathy for racists was that last straw.

All the above mentioned straws before then were okay, I suppose.

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Transgender in the Military – A Case in Political Hijackings by Democrats and Republicans

by with 2 Comments FeaturedPolitics

Trump’s reversal on the DoD’s direction on transgender service members was indeed surprising. The path seemed well on its way, and in many ways seemed initially unlikely to turn around – despite having been rushed and having some real practical considerations.

The reason the Obama administration acknowledged transgender service members last, and why it was not fully implemented during his administration, was because of the complexity of the medical services required. Gay military members had been serving quietly for quite some time – that change was made quickly with not much more than a shrug from the services.  Opening all career fields to women took at least some changes – including selling service members on the idea that standards for combat forces would not change, we were just doubling the potential candidate pool (which if done without quotas should in all cases lead to more competitive standards in all areas, not less).  Three brave and talented female soldiers subsequently graduated from the US Army’s Ranger School, and West Point’s most recent branch night included a number of new female infantry officers.

Medical treatment for transgender service-members is more complex for the services. Sex reassignment is an expensive, risky, time-consuming major surgery. It requires a litany of interviews and psychological reviews to ensure the individual has thought through the process and that the surgery is responsible and beneficial, and once done, it has a long recovery period and requires lifetime hormone therapy. If a person (even with a good prognosis) looked likely at the outset to need such a large medical procedure of another kind, the candidate would under long-standing policy be medically ineligible for service, and for good reason: Military service members retire after 20 years and then collect benefits for a lifetime. That’s an expensive investment- especially if 2 years may make them non-deployable for surgery at a minimum, and for years after they continue with guaranteed medical needs and lifetime complications (and sanitary requirements) that may be difficult to ensure in the filthy, harsh business of war in dark places. For this reason, it was slow-walked (although made to progress at least in lip service) and was rushed to implementation only when it became clear that HRC would not be the next president.

However, the DoD does quite a few un-economic things, and many argued that the social benefits outweigh the cost of complications for a very small number of service members. As they would say: if we can deal with $500 toilet seats, we can deal with this, and as a social venture, proving that a transgender person can make it in the service should prove they can make it in the world as well. Also, the DoD had set a path under the Obama administration and that should carry a lot of momentum. Career choices (like joining or leaving the military) are ones with long-dated consequences to service members’ lives. So is one’s commitment to a sex change operation (obviously). People expect to make those decisions based on stable policies over time. So while the initial policy direction was rushed and perhaps ill-considered, it’s reversal seems also rushed and ill-considered.

Until you look at the underlying reasons for both: Barack Obama rushed the decision because he had made a commitment to advance a LGBTA agenda, and had reached a point where he had to set course or let it go. While the DoD had briefed him on the special medical considerations, risks, costs, and was messaging hard to wait for more study, it was clear that study would not continue under Trump as it would have under HRC. The resulting action felt like “DoD- this is more important than military readiness, and even though we aren’t ready to implement, I have political commitments – so you need to figure it out.” That’s an annoying reason to rush implementation. Likewise, the reversal seems also to be less about readiness and more about convincing the Tea Party wing of the GOP (which tends to overlap heavily with the religious right) that they should approve of Trump’s infrastructure budget (most notably a wall across the Mexican border that apparently will eventually be reimbursed by Mexico). Granting Senate Tea Partiers a Pyrrhic victory of savings from a few people (as well as the rejection of a social issue) seemed to be an easy administrative fix for a President getting ready to present a budget case this fall that looks harder to pass than even an Obamacare repeal… and the services (and recruits and service members) are simply horses for trading.

So now we are in a place where any decision is a bad decision. It could have made sense to say that transgender service members (unless they would definitively say they did not require and would not request a sex change operation during their service) were not in the best interest of the services – just as cancer survivors or others with extensive medical needs are not. On the other hand, one administration just told service members to raise their hands for help if they wanted it; the next seems willing to cut those hands off. That’s a horrible precedent and seems like a betrayal to people that have asked to defend us while we sleep.

We all as individuals need to do better in judging our elected officials and get beyond the sound bites. Getting your way is only better if it results in better outcomes. These last few years have divided us greatly in our views on the direction of the country. Debate is good. Progress is good. Making the world a better place is good. But we would all do well to remember that change takes planning, and ideology takes thoughtful implementation, and throughout its entire life cycle and repeal, this issue saw none of that from either side, and the losers were all of us.

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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.

Bannon’s Exit Was Expected? The LCR Responds…

by with One Comment Uncategorized

Steve Bannon’s addition as Chief Strategist to the administration might’ve been the most controversial of all the president’s picks. Many suggested that Bannon, the former Breitbart executive, wouldn’t be in the White House much longer after John Kelly replaced Reince Priebus as the new Chief of Staff, and they were right. We asked three of our contributor’s to weigh in regarding his sudden, yet expected, departure. Here’s what they had to say…

“With the ouster of Steve Bannon, the Trump Administration just started eating its own young. Trump’s ever-loyal base, consisting of the some of the worst humanity has to offer – so cleanly coined the “Alt Right” – is now beginning to fracture, collapsing under the weight of scandals that have rocked this administration from the very beginning. But this isn’t the beginning of the end; it’s merely the end of the beginning. We are only seeing the first part of a very long battle. It’s not over yet.” – Registered Independent Voter 

“This is a good step forward for the administration – the too slow professionalization of the West Wing. It was clear last week when the President was threatening involvement with the DPRK, Venezuela and Iran simultaneously that Bannon’s agenda was no longer the President’s. The next question is whether the President will operate with any vision at all, or whether he will simply react to World affairs.” – Right Army Veteran 

“Have you ever heard that quote “success is where preparation and opportunity meet”? It’s one of those cliche lines that actually makes sense and is a good reminder in times like Bannon being booted from the White House. The White House is crumbling. The presidents supporters are slowly but surely deserting him. Impeachment, once a far off possibility but now seems more like a prediction of our near future. What will happen when/if they move forward with the removal of #45? Are your thoughts and beliefs represented by the people who are left in power? It’s time to really think about that. When the time comes, are you prepared to be successful? We will have the time to vote again and let our voice be heard. Are you ready for that?”– Center Left HR

One of our contributor’s details Bannon’s exit: Sith Lords Run the White House

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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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