Just Thought You Should Know 6/3/16

Happy Friday!...or should I say Harambee?  That gorilla's been all over my FB feed and sparked so much "debate" about race, parenting, personal responsibility, and animal rights you'd think a Nobel Prize winning poet laureate had been killed.  Quick!  What's the name of the 4-year-old, his parents, or the zoo keepers who saved him?  If you had to Google it, I hope you realize now why media-driven stories like this are more about riling you up for website clicks than informing you of something important.  Until you can show me there's a trend of American toddlers jumping into gorilla cages due to poor parenting and this incident isn't just an excuse to bash black parents, please step away from the keyboard.

We also saw the premiere of "Roots" this week on the History Channel. It's a remake of the critically acclaimed mini-series from 1977 that depicted, in vivid detail, one African American family's generational struggle for humanity in the face of slavery.  The re-make is even more raw than the original, not making any attempt to soften the portrayals of slave masters nor to minimize the psychological impact on the human beings who were literally treated like talking cattle.  I had to remind myself I was watching a television show when a teenage Kizzy Kinte (played Emyri Crutchfield) nearly drowned her son.  I can't imagine the torture of becoming a mother through rape, nor the superhuman courage it would take to go on, whether you keep the baby or not.  I know there is a strong sentiment among my friends and family that we are so over the "we were slaves" narrative but keep in mind that no other group would let America forget the atrocities they've suffered.  It's also handy to have a visual record when people start to underestimate, undervalue, and marginalize you.  You cannot know where you're going if you don't know where you've been and as unpleasant as it is to watch, it is part of our story.  It should motivate you to do better, not revel in shame.  Cultural conditioning is real.  Now if someone could make a movie about Mansa Musa or Ibn Battuta...

Stockholm Syndrome personified.

Black Wall Street Anniversary
 
Speaking of remembering where you came from, this week marks the 95th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history prior to 9/11...the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921.  Perhaps the biggest example of black suffering being erased from the history books, an entire generation, both white and black, grew up without ever reading that the Greenwood District of Tulsa, OK had once been burned to the ground resulting in the deaths of up to 300 people and costing $26 million ($316 million in today's dollars) in damage. The attack was so horrific that everyone literally decided it'd be easier to forget it even happened.  For 79 years, the only accounts of the massacre were through the memories of its survivors.  It wasn't until 2001 that a state-commissioned report documented the full account of damage, casualites, and the events that lead up to that ugly day.

I could go on and on, the full has never been told...

Why it matters

You know that fantasy world that black "thought leaders", activists, and motivational speakers are always talking about?  A self-sustaining black community with black professionals who understand your culture and your unique needs?  That was Greenwood District.  Black Wall Street was the utopia black intellectuals salivate for today.  Successful financially, black, and completely self-sustaining. Black doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, and of course, pastors, all thrived in a segregation enforced community.  It was everything  you could have asked for in terms of black excellence in a time where the humanity of an African-American was barely acknowledged, let alone their rights as full citizens.  It's a remarkable story that deserves to be told if for no other reason than to prove that excellence is not only possible but has already happened.

What can you do about it?

Remember.  Remember that it wasn't the first time it happened and wouldn't be the last.  Forgiveness and moving on doesn't mean you forget what happened.  It's ok not live in the dark corners of our past but don't be so ready to agree when people start talking about the community with sentences that begin with "This is why we can't get ahead-- (insert some negative behavior that's not exclusive to black folks)"  We've thrived in the most difficult of circumstances, no matter how many times our legs have been cut out from under us.  Never count us out.

 Til next week!

Just Thought You Should Know 5/27/16

You can smell the grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.  Humid sea air calls to you as the unrelenting sun beats down on your sunscreen covered back.  The burning sensation of the exposed sand between your toes soon gives way to the cool rush of salty, frothy water that intermittently drowns out the sounds of children's laughter.  Memorial Day weekend is here and for many of us its the beginning of the most wonderful time of year.  Summer!  For the loved ones of our fallen men and women in uniform, however, the weekend is bittersweet.  It's another year without daddy, mommy, an aunt, an uncle, sibling, or a cousin.  Their weekend begins in Arlington National Cemetery or their local graveyard.  Our nation mourns with them as we have for the last 150 years.  In that spirit I paid special attention to one of our more recent fallen veterans, a cult hero who was taken from us far too soon...Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle.
  
Chris Kyle: American Liar?

The late CPO Chris Kyle.

2 years ago, no movie was more politically divisive than the uber patriotic, some would say propaganda film, American Sniper.  If you haven't seen it yet, it's an excellent film and Bradley Cooper's performance is nothing short of superb.  It's tough to remember, however, that it was just that.  A performance.  Like Bill Cosby, we have to learn to separate the man from the character, especially when it's come to light that CPO Kyle falsified part of his military record.  It's not the first time Kyle has been caught in a lie.  His estate had to pay former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura $1.8 million after a jury decided Kyle lied about punching out his fellow SEAL in a bar.  He also didn't kill two carjackers in Texas that were trying to rob him nor did he shoot "looters" at the Superdome after Katrina. This further tarnishes the legacy of a man, that by all legitimate accounts, was already a hero.  160 confirmed enemy kills is Audie Murphy, Massachusetts 54th, Bas Reeves, and Tuskegee Airman levels of bad ass.  The locals called him "The Devil of Ramadi."  These latest revelations will undoubtedly be met with anger by his family, battle buddies, and the countless admirers he's earned through his literary works, American Sniper, American Gun, and the 2014 American Sniper film.  The worst part about this, though, isn't the lying.  It's the fact that the Navy knew and said nothing.

Kyle was warned at least once before American Sniper was published that its description of his medal count was wrong, according to one current Navy officer, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about the case. As Kyle’s American Sniper manuscript was distributed among SEALs, one of his former commanders, who was still on active duty, advised Kyle that his claim of having two Silver Stars was false, and he should correct it before his book was published.

[...]

According to two current Navy officials, inaccurate information about Kyle’s awards is also contained in his separation document, known in the military as a DD214, which usually reflects a veteran’s official service record. Kyle’s DD214 form, which lists two Silver Stars and six Bronze Stars with Valor among his decorations, also differs from the number of Bronze Stars with Valor — five — that Kyle listed in his book.   -- Matthew Cole and Sheelagh McNeill "American Sniper" Chris Kyle Distorted His Military Record, Documents Show, 5/25/2016, TheIntercept.com

Kyle's exploits in Iraq were a great recruiting tool for the Navy.

Why Does It Matter?

To some people it doesn't.  CPO Kyle will always be a hero to the people that loved him and knew him best.  He'll always be a coward to others.  Both are right.  Why?  Because more than anything Kyle was human.  In an increasingly polarized society we seemed to have lost sight of the fact that we can be both incredibly brave and incredibly stupid from time to time.  Kyle's record, the real one, is one any SEAL would be proud of.  His efforts to help his fellow vets both in and out of theater are praiseworthy.  Unfortunately, it also cost him his life.  It doesn't change the fact that his ego may have gotten the best of him after he came  home.  The Navy, however, doesn't get a pass.  Their brass apparently didn't learn anything from watching the Army mishandle PFC Jessica Lynch's and CPL Pat Tillman's tales of bravery with lies.  Trust in your leadership is critical when your leadership may one day order you to take a life or make the ultimate sacrifice yourself.  You must believe that they always have your best interests at heart and that such an order wouldn't be given unless it was absolutely necessary.  Stories like this only serve to erode that trust.  An all volunteer military will not find quality Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, or Marines if outgoing veterans discourage their friends and family from following in their footsteps.  How motivated would you be to do your job if you "knew" your boss would stab you in the back the first chance he/she got?  (Stop rolling your eyes, you get my point.)  Doesn't matter how big the defense budget is if your boots on the ground would rather be smoking and joking than doing their jobs.



What can I do about it?

We can learn to not take everything at face value. We can keep in mind that any public persona is a carefully crafted image designed to hide the very human flaws we all have.  Kyle tried to position himself as a larger than life hero, famously saying he wished he'd "killed more" because he believed he was saving lives with every shot.  He didn't need to.  He was already perfect example of what our military is made of, ordinary Americans who, when put in extraordinary circumstances, step up and do extraordinary things.  To me, Chris Kyle, the flawed person, will always be more impactful than Chris Kyle, the American Sniper.

Also, please consider helping veterans who are still with us by donating to these organizations:

Wounded Warrior Project

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

American Legion
http://www.legion.org/homelessveterans/outreach

Veterans of Foreign Wars
http://www.vfw.org/



Rest In Peace

Just Thought You Should Know 5/19/16

Happy Friday (or Saturday since life tends to supercede pet projects)!  I hope this week caps off a brilliant one in which you got all your goals accomplished, checked off that pesky to do list, and helped save the free world once again.   Conversely, if today is simply the last one an a grueling quagmire of shit, at least tomorrow is Saturday and reading this column will restore some faith in your fellow man.  Well, not really.

Maybe a sense of upliftment by watching others in much more dire circumstances than our first world problems.  If I'm really lucky, I've helped start unquenchable urge in those of you who are in a position to do something about it...to do so.  My goal here is to provide, comment, and illuminate situations that may slip through the cracks of our daily lives.  The kind of things we see a headline about but never click the article because its too long, we're too busy, or it's too depressing.  By breaking it down into more digestible chunks, I hope to get the important points across and leave the biased fluff behind. On that note, here we go...

The Supreme Court of the United States is MIA

SCOTUS is like a 3 legged table right now (Photo: ww2.kqed.org)

The death of Antonin Scalia has left the court effectively crippled.  With 4 liberal judges and 4 conservative leaning ones, the court is literally unable to come to a decision on some of its most important cases. The usual procedure when the court can't make a decision, is that the lower court's decision is upheld and no precedent is deemed to have been set.  In plain English, its like the Supreme Court never heard the case and the lower court's verdict stands.  One case already kicked back would have allowed non-union workers to avoid paying union dues, cutting off a major source of funding for organized labor.  A long term goal for conservatives who believe unions have become too powerful and get in the way of growing businesses.

Why does it matter?

An ineffective Supreme Court means Congress and the local courts have more power than ever since many of the cases now being heard might never make it back to the court.   Whether this is what Republicans wanted when they refused to consider Merrick Garland to replace their conservative hero, the late Antonin Scalia, is up to interpretation.  What isn't in question, is that the power structure of the United States, which is built on each branch of government having the power to check the other 2, is now severely out of balance.  More power than ever rests in the hands of a Congress that seems more concerned with party loyalty and partisan power than following the Constitution.  State rulings on labor, civil rights, and abortion have been notoriously partisan and will leave millions of people essentially stuck with whatever decision has already been made unless the plaintiffs have deep pockets.  Something most people obviously don't have.

What can I do about it?

Find your representative in the House
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
 
Find your Senator
http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

Tell your friends to do the same and remind them who put them in "power."  Republicans have seemingly mastered the art of using their votes to take out anyone who doesn't stick to the script.  Ask Eric Cantor.   Remind these folks that the ultimate power lies with you and they can be fired just like anyone else for not doing their jobs.


The Women of ISIS are not looking for "Jihotties"

They're definitely looking for something warm, long, and hard...

  
There seems to be a myriad idiotic narratives about why young women are joining ISIS.  The most misogynistic one, and the most insulting in my opinion, is the idea that these women join the most despotic terrorist group in the world...because they're looking for dick.  Comedians use it for cheap laughs but it's honestly how investigations are run almost every time an underage western girl takes off for Syria.  As if she's infatuated with suicide bombers like they're the ISIS version of the Backstreet Boys.  It never occurs to the usually male investigators that just like young men that go to fight, they're actually true believers who are just as dangerous as their male counterparts.  In the "west", as they call it, we've been socialized to treat women as the fairer sex,  which usually means seeing their intelligence as an aberration, rather than the norm.  Usually because we assume they think like we do...which is usually about sex.  It's something ISIS counts on when using women to carry out their attacks.

"Insurgent groups in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa have used female suicide bombers as both a shock tactic and a strategic asset for decades. Two women detonated suicide bombs on the Moscow metro in March 2010, killing 40 people. The Al-Qaeda-linked Caucasus Emirate claimed responsibility for the attack." -- Jack Moore, Newsweek.com 11/18/15.

Why does it matter?

Because underestimating someone because of a stereotype is dangerous and stupid, especially when those stereotypes are used against you again and again and again.  History is littered with women weren't frail, emotional, or weak willed.  Though these women have decided to walk down a much darker path, respecting their decision, and holding them accountable for it would make spotting potential attackers much easier instead of relying on profiles that don't work.


What can I do about it?

As Joe "the Black Eagle" Madison says, "read with a third eye and listen with a third ear." 
Strange behavior is strange behavior no matter what race, gender, or nationality someone is.  If  you see something, say something.


MASE??

A long standing mystery about the identity of the New York Knick player in Biggie's "I Got a Story to Tell" has finally been solved!

If you don't know the song I'm talking about...unsubscribe immediately.

or just watch this.....

 
One of the few stories on wax that was verified by multiple NBA players and rappers in Big's inner circle to be true. It was also one of the best kept secrets in the industry until Fat Joe finally spilled the beans this week.

Why does this matter?

If you're aren't a Biggie fan or a Knicks fan...this isn't for you anyway.  If you are, do I really need to say it?  Mase and Big are probably laughing at all of us losing our minds over something they probably squashed years ago.


What can I do about it?

Laugh!  Laugh and remember the joy both these men brought into your lives musically and on the basketball court.  RIP Mase and BIG...

...Til next week!

Just Thought You Should Know: 5/13/16

Coming up with topics isn't my strong suit.  I love to write but I have to feel strongly about a topic to put my best and most authentic self into a piece.  Honestly, those moments come too few and too far in between to operate that way and still call myself a writer.  It would be easy to just gush about popular topics but that only takes you so far before you stop being original.  People shouldn't have a hard time telling the difference between you and Polly the Political Parrot (variations of which are employed by every foxy cable news national broadcast network).  It's lazy.  I also love to spread information, not in a know-it-all sense but in a hey-we're-all-busy-but-I-thought-you-should-know-this sense.  Which, not coincidentally, is the title of my new weekly column.  "Just Thought You Should Know" will feature culturally relevant stories that are a bit off the radar...or that I think are just plain funny. Stuff that would come up over a beer with good friends or things you'd tell your relatives "back home" about life in the land of milk and honey.  Hope you find these informative and add a little color to your day!  Enjoy.

  

Barack, you did it my nigga!

Larry Wilmore pissed off a lot of people with his closing speech at the White House Correspondence Dinner last week.  While his last line got the most media attention, it wasn't the most shocking moment. Looking at you Mr. "Alleged Journalist."

U mad, Don?

Why does it matter?

It might honestly be the first time you've seen such unapologetic, usually behind-closed-doors, blackness on full display.  Especially on such a historically non-black stage.  It made a lot of people uncomfortable.  Silly people crying "reverse racism" or "black privilege", black folks who felt embarrassed by the use of a word they've probably said in private dozens of times used in front of "all those white folk," and others who think the word should just be eliminated from the lexicon.

*sigh*

Look, self determination, the basis of individualism and freedom, is the root of American identity, right?  This country (in theory) was founded on the idea that I can be what I want to be.  That includes deciding how you want to be referred to, just like a nickname given to you by family or friends.  Only the people closest to you and/or who you deem worthy are allowed to call you that name.  Same concept. It's not that hard.  The President had no issues with it, why should you?  Even Don Lemon came around...

"Nope. Not mad at all."

The Philippines' President-Elect makes Donald Trump look civilized.

"Pope, 'son of a whore,' go home.  Do not visit us again." -- President-Elect Duterte being asked about Manila's terrible traffic being made worse by the pontiff's Jan 2015 visit (Photo CNN.com) 

Rodgrio Duterte, Mayor of Davao City for 22 years, will be the next President of the Philippines. Here are some quotes from Mr. Duterte during his rise to the top (Via Asiaone.com)

On crime- "Forget the laws on human rights. If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because I'd kill you," he said at his final campaign rally in Manila on Saturday, referring to his record after 22 years as mayor of Davao.
- "I'll dump all of you (criminals) into Manila Bay, and fatten all the fish there."

Duterte is pretty high on Human Rights Watch's shit list considering his "Death Squads" are rumored to be responsible for more than 1,700 deaths in Davao.  Duterte also brags about having personally delivered his brand of justice on occasion.  

On women- "They raped all of the women... There was this Australian lay minister... when they took them out... I saw her face and I thought, 'Son of a b****. what a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first." -- Speaking at a campaign rally about a prison riot in Davao in 1989 that saw inmates take a female Australian missionary working at the prison hostage before raping and killing her.
- "I was separated from my wife. I'm not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up."

Charming.

 Why does it matter?

The parallels between him our current presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee are undeniable.  Even if he doesn't think so...

On Donald Trump- "He's a bigot and I am not." -- Mr Duterte rejecting comparisons of him with the presumptive Republican nominee in the US presidential election, Mr Donald Trump.

Obviously, the Philippines are not the United States but they are a legitimate democracy (as opposed to the Russian variety) and Duterte's election proves that being a sexist, murderous, jackass isn't barrier to public office.  Sometimes its a fast track.  His popularity is no accident as the Philippine government is one of the most corrupt on the planet.  It's not hard to imagine being fed up with a government that has abused the public trust so much that the people elect an "outsider" to fix things.  Cultural differences aside, people are people.  The Democrats, and Trump haters in general should come up with a better strategy to beat him than righteous indignation.


16 Black Female West Point Cadets won't be disciplined for...doing nothing in the first place.

Black Hooahs matter.  West Point Chapter (Photo: theRoot.com)

Add "taking a group photo" to the list of things black folks can't do without being suspicious.  I honestly expected better from the Army.  I really did.  The years that I served were some of the best of my life and it was one few times I felt judged by my merits alone.  I got what I earned, no more, no less and I never felt what I was mattered more that who I was...or at least what my rank was.  Unfortunately, the current atmosphere of crazy seems to have penetrated the Army's ranks.  I suppose in hindsight, I shouldn't be surprised, since the Army has always reflected the nation it serves, but it still disappointing to see something like this having gone this far.  The photo they took was a West Point tradition but for some reason John Burk, a military blogger who I have respect for as a fellow vet and no nonsense attitude...but seems to be clueless about racism, jumped to the all too familiar conclusion that certain gestures, when done by black folks, must "mean something."  In this case, he assumed that raised fists must mean solidarity with "Black Lives Matter."  He raised enough of a fuss to warrant an "investigation" which, thankfully, the Army found was much ado about nothing.



Why does it matter?

The usual reasons.  Double standards and hypocrisy.  While soldiers are forbidden to express much individualism while serving, including political statements, this isn't the first time the Army has needed to be reminded that it is a diverse group and that diversity must be respected.  Kudos to the Army, though, for showing that it can adapt to the changing culture and recognize faux outrage when they see it.  Burk, judging by his YouTube persona, seems like a good guy, good soldier, and loyal American. However, like most "mainstream" individuals, he's blinded by what he doesn't know and arrogant enough to assume he does instead of, y'know...asking.  The military might be the last true meritocracy left and that leaves a lot of its soldiers with a false sense that this is how the real world works. Especially if you joined at a young impressionable age.  I wish John the best but I would remind him, and anyone else who thinks they "know what they're talking about", when it comes to other groups to listen first and ask questions, instead of potentially ruining the lives of 16 young women because you care more about your right to speak than their right to live.



...Til next week!

Why Donald Trump is Good for America

The rise of the cult of Trump has caught many of us off guard.  How could a man who espouses such obviously racist viewpoints be so popular?  The reality is that America has always been this way. Just like every other country on the planet we are fearful, paranoid, protectionist, and xenophobic.  For as long as I can remember, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, or Peter Jennings were on TV to tell us about another boogie man just waiting for us to drop our guard so they could slip inside our homes to murder our children as they slept.  They were always godless, or at least didn't worship the same merciful, loving God we did. They did horrible, inhuman things to their own people, justifying our fear and loathing of them. President Reagan told us the Soviets hated us because of our freedom and would stop at nothing to drop an A bomb on Washington, subjecting us all to the iron fist of communism.  Communism, of course, being the scourge of capitalism though most Americans couldn't tell you why it was evil  or why capitalism is good .

You will lose...I must break you.

The Bush Dynasty told us Saddam Hussein murdered his own people with mustard gas and would have loved to do the same to us if given the chance.  We were told he was also conspiring with Osama Bin Laden after 9/11 so we had to launch a pre-emptive strike before he could get the chance to kill more Americans.  The news, the government, social media, and our friends tell us these things constantly so we know they're true!  Except they aren't.  Not totally.  Somewhere between our fear of anyone who doesn't speak English and the need to stroke our egos, the people stoking the flames of foolishness conveniently forgot to mention the Soviet Union's equal fear of us bombing them .  They also left out Saddam's status as America's staunchest ally in the Middle East prior to his invasion of Kuwait.  They also might have forgotten to mention the man he was supposedly  in league with, (actually, they hated each other) the man responsible for killing more Americans in the new century than any other, was partially funded by American efforts to train the Afghan mujahideen to fight the Soviets.  Now presidential candidate Donald Trump is telling us that Mexicans are evil murdering rapists that want to freeload on our freedoms, refugees from Syria will invade us and impose Sharia law the first chance they get, and the Washington elite are either complicit or spineless. Refusing to do anything about these threats because they don't love America like he does. Of course, only he and he alone, can "Make America Great Again."  He will.  Just not not in the way he intends. 

You mean we actually have to keep our promises?  Since when?? (Photo: politico.com)

Trump, for all his boorishness is clearly a student of history.  His rhetoric, heavy on anti-immigrant feelings and not much else, evidenced by the lack of policy specifics and insulting deflection every time he's asked to present details on any of his grand promises, demonstrates a mastery of demagoguery.  These guys would be proud.    He's spent years honing the art of getting people to pay attention to him through his reality shows, ingratiating himself into American pop culture like a virus.  In that arena, he's tolerable, harmless, and even entertaining.  Not a man to be taken seriously in the halls of power where his views could affect millions of lives in more ways than just what channel they watch for an hour.  Obviously, this has changed.  The skills that served him well to get television ratings are now getting him votes.  Exposing an ugly truth many of us who aren't part of the mainstream have known our entire lives.  He is forcing America to look itself in the mirror and many aren't liking what they see.  The world is also watching while a man who inspires bigotry and violence, marches seemingly lauded by the media, to our country's highest office.  His popularity proves our most damning critics right, exposing the hypocrisy of a country that prides itself on American Exceptionalism and as a multi cultural melting pot.  Is this really the end result of the great experiment?  We elect a man that appeals to our worst qualities?  The Republicans were so focused on power and stonewalling President Obama that they ignored the real needs of their constituents, unleashing this madness.  Now our country is in a battle for its soul.  America really has to ask itself if Trump, a man who can't decide if he should accept the support of Klu Klux Klan, encourages division not only along racial lines  but within the lines of his own party, who has been a rich man his entire life but claims to know what's best for the middle class, who employed the very same illegals he now calls rapists and criminals to build Trump Tower, who has taken advantage of the same overseas trade deals he now criticizes to make himself richer, has himself exported manufacturing jobs to China , and let's not forget is a long time documented supporter and friend of the Clintons, is really the man Americans want in charge of our military, nuclear arsenal, and public image?  I find it difficult to believe that a man like him would find much international support for American initiatives abroad, when he can't even unite his party behind him.  I also find it difficult to believe that any of our existing American based international corporations would back a President that openly insults their customers. We shouldn't forget, a politician's first allegiance is to the voters, no matter how much corporate money lines his or her pockets, the voters have the ultimate power.  Good luck trying not to "lead from behind" when our international allies threaten to vote out their leaders for following American policy.  The coalition of the willing did exactly that, in aftermath of the 2003 Iraq invasion, leaving the United States shouldering most of the responsibility and the cost as the war grew increasingly unpopular abroad.  When we finally did manage to untangle ourselves from Iraq, these guys filled the void. (Warning: Graphic)  That's a mistake I'd rather we not repeat. 

Donald Trump has forced the American people to a moral crossroads.  Ironically, this fiasco could do what Obama's election was supposed to do. Unite the country.  Neither Democrats nor establishment Republicans nor most of their constituents are eager to see a Trump Presidency.  For the reasons I stated above, he is a clear and present danger to the long term security and stability of the United States.  I am not exaggerating when I say that I believe that his election will not only set back our country back decades culturally, but the rate at which Civil Rights gains are being unfairly challenged , circumvented with biased legislation, and struck down by the Supreme Court, will accelerate.  America needn't be reminded of how years of exclusion, mistreatment, and marginalization of one group of Americans, eventually exploded into the Civil Rights movement.  Imagine if what Trump is proposing does pass and Black Lives Matter grows to include not only African Americans seeking justice, but becomes a banner for all American people of color to rally behind.  I don't see too many Trump rallies ending with sucker punches then.  You'd be dealing with literal human blockades at every venue he tries to book.  I've always believed that the fastest way to unite disparate groups is to present a common enemy big enough to threaten all parties.  Well, I think we've found our lighting rod in the man who sells ties made in China but claims he's all about giving jobs to Americans at the expense of our ideals.  This absurd campaign will bring about either one of 2 things.  Either America proves itself once again to have progressed beyond this type of gutter- level political discourse or everyone knows once and for all how far 240 years of our experiment has risen the level human consciousness.  Either way, we'll all know what we have to do.  I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think the boogeymen we should really be afraid of, are the ones who use boogeymen to keep us in line.

NCredibly Ignorant

Stop me if you've heard this before.  An entertainer with a net worth many times above the people he's speaking to, tries to garner support by playing on their worst fears.  His "credibility" is based on his success in business.  He hopes the message he's sending provokes an emotional reaction big enough to get them to spend money on him so he can be their "voice" while everyone else looks on with amazement at how so many people can be so easily duped into championing actions that are clearly not in their best interests.  That's right, I'm talking about...

Nick Cannon.

Yeah, I can see the struggle all over your designer suit. (Photo: laineygossip.com)

Mr. Cannon, who's net worth is estimated to be over $50 million, actually thought it was a good idea to, write, film, and release a work of spoken word called "Too Broke to Vote"*, discouraging his fans from voting.  VOTING.  You know, the most powerful say we have in how our lives are governed.  The thing Super PACs, Democrats, Republicans, and every other party in the country spends billions of dollars in advertising to convince you to cast yours for them.  The thing that is considered so important that it was kept in the hands of the elite for the better part of this country's history.  The thing that great men died for to make available to Nick's family 50 years ago and is still under legal attack today.  The practice that he uses on his own shows  that allow him to make his fortune in the first place.  So according to Nick, voting is great when it makes him money but not when deciding who our local and national leaders will be?  The logic is absolutely Trumpian and in that spirit, let's take a journey into what life is like when everyone follows Mr. "Ncredible's" advice and simply stays home on Election Day.

Ferguson, Missouri:

"...majority-black Ferguson has a virtually all-white power structure: a white mayor; a school board with six white members and one Hispanic, which recently suspended a highly regarded young black superintendent who then resigned; a City Council with just one black member; and a 6 percent black police force."

-- 8/14/2014, Jeff Smith, NY Times Op-Ed "In Ferguson, Black Town, White Power"

The Michael Brown tragedy wasn't a one off.  His passing was an inevitable symptom of what happens when the people who live in a town aren't who's represented in its governance, similar to colonialism.  Abuse, neglect, and violations of human rights are almost a certainty yet Ferguson's voter turnout for its last Mayoral election, in 2014, was still just 12%.  I wonder if Nick would put his money where is mouth is and see what its like to live as an average Ferguson resident for a year.  They clearly agree with his political views.


Chicago, Illinois

The mercifully FORMER Chicago DA (Photo: fox32chicago.com)

"[Anita] Alvarez is the Cook County state's attorney, which is just another way of saying that she's the DA of Chicago. She has been working in the state's attorney's office as a prosecutor for nearly 30 years and has been the head of the office since 2008. She's up for re-election next November, and the March primary is coming up quickly. Kim Foxx, a Chicago native and a believer in criminal justice reform, is challenging her in the primary. (There will be more on Foxx in the next post.)

Alvarez is known as one of the worst prosecutors in the country. Here are just a few of the dozens of stories of misconduct and bad behavior in Alvarez’s office."

-- 11/24/2015, Josie Duffy, Daily Kos, "The Horrifying Behavior of Anita Alvarez, Chicago's Head Prosecutor"  

Anita Alvarez, now jobless after being voted out (see how that works, Nick?), was at the center of not one but two high-profile cases in which the murders of African Americans were treated with utter contempt and disrespect.  In the case of Rekia Boyd, Alvarez deliberately under charged her killer, Chicago Police Detective Dante Servin, with "reckless conduct" instead of first degree murder, knowing that it would be dismissed because the facts of the case clearly point to the more serious charge.  Servin is still on the force...for now.  In the case of LaQuan McDonald, the final nail in her coffin, she knew the police version of the events leading up to the 17 year old's death were a lie.  She refused to do anything about it, however, until a judge forced the release of a dash cam video exposing the cover up.  Only then did she charge Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke with murder.  I still find it incredulous she hasn't been brought up on charges of prosecutorial misconduct but I'll take my victories where I can.


Cleveland, Ohio

"Very interesting people who have their own economic motives"--Former Prosecutor McGinty describing Tamir Rice's mother (Photo: Lisa DeJong/Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"We have never seen a prosecutor try so hard to lose a case," [Jonathan S.] Abady, attorney for the mother of Tamir Rice said.

The grand jury needs only to find that the evidence presents probable cause that a crime has been committed in order to indict a suspect, but Rice's family claims that McGinty seemed to be working explicitly to convince the grand jury of the officers' innocence.

Less than two weeks after receiving the case, McGinty released a redacted version of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department's investigative report to the public. The Times reported that McGinty believes publicly releasing evidence increases the transparency of the investigation and could help prevent unrest akin to that in Ferguson, Missouri, where evidence was only made available to the public after the decision not to indict the police shooter was announced."

-- 12/28/15, Dan Turkel, Business Insider, "Tamir Rice's family accuses prosecutor of 'manipulating' grand jury to get cops out of indictment for 12-year-old's death"

Timothy McGinty, the now former head prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, was also voted out of office (amazing how that works isn't it, Nick?) after his office, like Alvarez's, also botched two high profile cases of the deaths of African Americans.  To his credit, at least he prosecuted the officers involved in the deaths of Timothy Russell, and Malissa Williams, even though he failed to get a conviction. What was truly inexcusable, was his refusal to prosecute never-should-have-been-a-cop Tim Loehmann for the cold blooded murder of 12 year old Tamir Rice.

 Alvarez would still be the sitting DA, running her office as her personal re-election headquarters instead of a place of justice if the people of Chicago shared Nick's apathy.  Tim McGinty would have had what amounts to a mandate for the system he works for to ignore the deaths of black children at the hands of police had the people of Cuyahoga County decided nothing would change.  Ferguson is still woefully unbalanced in its representation because its citizens clearly don't understand, just like Cannon, that a closed mouth doesn't get fed.  Even with the release of the so-called "Panama Papers," highlighting the abuses of capitalism we've all suspected the world's super rich were guilty of, abandonment of the system only ensures entrenchment of the status quo.  Who watches the watchers if we, the people their actions directly affect, decide we simply can't be bothered?  I don't know if Cannon is a rags to riches story of if he was born into privilege, nor do I care.  What concerns me is how easily someone who is part of the 1%, the people who are historically least affected by political change, can convince people that willingly abdicating the little political power they have is a good idea.  Nick Cannon's message isn't a call to revolution against the system.  It's an appeal to your baser instincts, anger and fear, to manipulate you into doing what people like him are best at.  Separating you from your money.  With every YouTube click, money flows into his pocket.  You know what America would look like if we did as he's suggesting?  Maybe you should ask your grandparents. Then ask them if they ever thought they were "too broke to vote."

Je Suis un Parisien Aujourd'hui

I am a Parisian today.  Yesterday as I was leaving work, headed for a well deserved dinner with my family after a long week I glanced a headline flashing across my Bloomberg.

18 DEAD AFTER EXPLOSION IN PARIS.

I admit, I immediately thought "Islamic terrorism," then chided myself for jumping to conclusions.

You don't know its Muslim terrorists
There have been plenty of Christian terrorists too.
Let's wait for all the details to come out before drawing conclusions.

I tried listening to XM Fantasy Sports to take my mind off it, trying to heed the advice of family and friends that I'm taking on too much stress by worrying about things I can't control.  I was enjoying hearing that my best player, Steelers RB DeAngelo Williams practiced and was probable to play on Sunday.  The Browns are a pretty weak run defense and the host continued to impress upon us how imperative it was to get him in our lineups until he was handed a different piece of news to read on air.  The death toll had risen to 26.  I checked the dial to make sure I was on the right station.  Because the attacks took place near a stadium where the French and Germans were playing an international soccer friendly it, was now a sports story too.  It'd be so "first world" to complain about news events interrupting my sports but in this case it impressed upon me just how widespread this attack was.  The President of France, Francois Hollande was attending the game and had to be evacuated to a safe location.  The sports world, the one place many of us use to escape for a few hours a day had now been touched, no, infected by this cowardly attack.  Again, I tried to put it out of my mind as I got home and prepared to go to dinner.  I couldn't let this ruin the evening.  Unfortunately, I couldn't resist turning on CNN before we left.

60 DEAD IN MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS IN PARIS

I was now getting angry because I realized this day was starting to feel sickeningly familiar.  The confusion, the body count, the inconceivable savagery, and the cowardice of attacking unsuspecting civilians in multiple locations.  Anyone who's reading this who lived in Washington, D.C. or the New York/New Jersey area 14 years ago knows exactly what I'm referring to.  I enjoyed dinner the best I could but the phone updates from the AP, CNN, and even theScore were relentless.  To resist the urge to keep checking, I put it in my coat so I couldn't feel it vibrate.  When we finally left, I pulled it out to check the time and on my lock screen was update after morbid update.

Team Stream
Breaking: Authorities Confirm 3 killed Outside Stadium during France-Germany Game...
AP
French President says he will declare state of emergency and close borders
AP
French police confirm 2 suicide attacks 1 bombing near Paris stadium
AP
Automatic gunfire heard from outside Paris concert hall.
CNN
French security forces are storming the Barclan theater
AP
At least 100 people killed inside Paris concert hall...

I truncated them for my sanity but my local ABC affiliate, Bleacher Report, and theScore all drove the point home that this attack was so savage, so brutal, and so disgusting that there was no escaping it.

Train bombings in Madrid, the bombing of a Bali nightclub, the 7/7 London train bombings, yesterdays savagery in Paris, and countless other attacks keep driving the point home that sometimes, the propaganda is right.  ISIS has proven themselves to be savage, bloodthirsty, heartless, sadistic murderers with no regard for any human life that doesn't abide by their twisted version of Islam.  Some make the argument that they're representative of true Islam, a claim I vehemently reject as much as I reject the claim that the Klu Klux Klan, anti-abortion extremists, or the IRA are representative of "true" Christianity.  I have seen good works and know too many good people to count them among the monsters coming from Syria.  ISIS and their allies need to be put down and the ideology that spawned them needs to be dealt with.  The former clearly needs to be accomplished militarily and economically.  The latter needs to be accomplished through a Marshall Plan-like initiative that would help move these countries out of the lawlessness and poverty they've been mired in and pull them into the 21st century.  Give their young people something to look forward to besides "killing apostates" or living in fear of a dictatorial government  or the bloody cycle will continue for another millennium.  We spent a decade hunting down and finally killing Osama Bin Laden, only for a man even more savage, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to take his place.  What will we unleash on the world if we continue pursing a purely militaristic solution?

I stand with Paris and the nation of France today not just in spirit but in shared experience.  We know what its like to have your security, comfort, and sense of well being violated by people who don't even know you but have been bred to hate you with every fiber of their being.  The world, like 14 years ago, will be bent on blood lust and revenge.  I know that everyone will be trying to use this tragedy to further their own agenda.  Some already have.  But its important to remember that what IS has done in France repeats the same mistake Al-Qaeda made on 9/11.  Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda found out that their greatest achievement was also the first domino that led to the decimation of their murderous organization and the death of their leader.   For all the differences our countries have at the negotiating table, disgust at the mass murder of innocents is the one thing on which we all agree.  It will not stand unchallenged and will not go unpunished.  There is an old saying that warns that you should be careful what you wish for.  I believe IS is about to find out exactly what that means.

Mark Godsey: For the First Time Ever, a Prosecutor Will Go to Jail for Wrongfully Convicting an Innocent Man

Ken Anderson defends himself at a Court of Inquiry investigation in Georgetown, Texas, on Feb. 8, 2013. (Photo via Propublica.org)

Today in Texas, former prosecutor and judge Ken Anderson pled guilty to intentionally failing to disclose evidence in a case that sent an innocent man, Michael Morton, to prison for the murder of his wife. When trying the case as a prosecutor, Anderson possessed evidence that may have cleared Morton, including statements from the crime's only eyewitness that Morton wasn't the culprit. Anderson sat on this evidence, and then watched Morton get convicted. While Morton remained in prison for the next 25 years, Anderson's career flourished, and he eventually became a judge.
In today's deal, Anderson pled to criminal contempt, and will have to give up his law license, perform 500 hours of community service, and spend 10 days in jail. Anderson had already resigned in September from his position on the Texas bench.
What makes today's plea newsworthy is not that Anderson engaged in misconduct that sent an innocent man to prison. Indeed, while most prosecutors and police officers are ethical and take their constitutional obligations seriously, government misconduct--including disclosure breaches known as Brady violations--occurs so frequently that it has become one of the chief causes of wrongful conviction.
What's newsworthy and novel about today's plea is that a prosecutor was actually punished in a meaningful way for his transgressions.

Disgraced Judge Ken Anderson

I give speeches about the Innocence Movement, and tell stories from real cases, all around the world. No matter where I am, when I finish speaking the first question usually is, "What happened to the police/prosecutors who did this to the poor guy?" The answer is almost always, "Nothing," or worse, "The police officer was promoted and now is the chief of his department." The adage that the powerful go unpunished is no truer or more visible than with police officers and prosecutors in America--even when they send innocent people to prison from their misconduct.
My client Roger Dean Gillispie of Dayton, Ohio, for example, spent 20 years in prison as a result of police misconduct. In 2007, we presented overwhelming evidence that the police officers, like Anderson in the Morton case, failed to turn over evidence to the defense before trial that would have cleared Gillispie. We also supplied the court with evidence that the police officer in charge had harassed and intimidated witnesses helpful to the defense, and had manipulated the evidence. Before going to court to clear Gillispie, we met with the local prosecutors, hopeful that they wouldn't tolerate such misconduct and would do a thorough (and neutral) investigation to get to the truth. Instead, they simply denied everything in knee-jerk fashion, and fought to keep Gillispie in prison until a federal court finally found government misconduct and threw out his charges in December 2011. To this day, the police officer in the case has not been investigated by a neutral, independent body. The only thing he has received is promotions.
Rogue cops and prosecutors going unpunished is the rule rather than the exception. In Illinois, two police officers whose improperly grueling interrogation techniques led to the wrongful conviction of Juan Rivera and others were not penalized when their 3rd degree tactics came to light. Rather, they were recently hired at taxpayer expense to teach interrogation courses to other police officers around the state.
A recent study found prosecutorial misconduct in nearly one-quarter of all capital cases in Arizona. Only two of those prosecutors have been reprimanded or punished. This led the Arizona Republic to conclude:

There seldom are consequences for prosecutors, regardless of whether the miscarriage of justice occurred because of ineptness or misconduct. In fact, they are often congratulated.

Other studies/articles with similar troubling results can be found here, here, here, and here.
Fortunately, there is something very simple that judges across the country can do to eradicate this problem. All judges, state and federal, should issue the standing "ethical rule order" proposed by the Hon. Nancy Gertner and Innocence Project Co-Founder Barry Scheck. The proposed order requires prosecutors to disclose, pre-trial, all evidence that "tends to negate the guilt of the accused or mitigates the offense." Details regarding the proposed ethical rule order, including all the justifications supporting it, can be found in this article by Barry Scheck.

Michael Morton, exonerated in October 2011 (Photo via innoncenceproject.org)

The reason such standing ethical rule orders are important is that they allow prosecutors, like Ken Anderson, to be held in criminal contempt if they are later found to have engaged in misconduct. Anderson could be punished today only because such an order had been issued in the Morton case.
Today's conviction of Ken Anderson stands out as an extreme aberration in a society where police and prosecutorial misconduct goes largely unpunished. But it is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, today's result will deter rogue cops and prosecutors in the future from engaging in similar misconduct. But this will happen only if judges across the country do what the judge did more than 25 years ago in the Morton case: issue an order requiring that proper disclosure to the defense, or risk criminal contempt proceedings.

This post originally appeared in The Huffington Post.
Mark Godsey is a Professor of Law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law and the Director of the Ohio Innocence Project.  Follow him on Twitter @wrongconvblog

Visit http://www.innocenceproject.org

  

More Than a Protest Novel: Connecting the Dots - 1.5MillionBlack(Wo)Men Missing

From L to R Kathy Horan, Oresa Williams, Iesha Sekou, Andre T. Williams, and Marlon Peterson

It seems that when we as a people speak out against institutional violence against us, the response falls within one of two misguided narratives.  The first, is that we must have done something to deserve it.  Most people I know personally are intelligent enough to know cheap deflection when they hear it since unfortunately, victim blaming isn't unique to racial issues.  The other narrative supports the farcical notion that because poor black neighborhoods experience extreme violence, something that's more a function of socioeconomic circumstances rather than racial pathology, that we should be silent on institutional abuses until those afflicted communities are a utopia of peace and understanding.  Last time I checked, most of us could walk and chew gum at the same time and its why it always feels like a breath of fresh air when I get to meet people who do it well enough to have made it their life's work.

This panel was an event specifically designed to discuss youth violence in the ghetto, disseminate information on organizations that are trying to combat it, and to brainstorm on what steps can be taken to stem the tide.  The most recent senseless death weighed heavily on everyone's perspective, the unconscionable murder of NY Deputy General Counsel Carey Gabay -- a Harvard grad and fellow Jamerican,   illustrating why organizations like these are needed.  The featured speakers were people who'd been deeply impacted by the violence they'd experienced in their own lives but chose to actively do something about it instead of simply accepting it or letting it break their spirits.

Desean Hill (1995-2003)

Andre T. Mitchell, founder of Man UP!, Inc., spoke about how the death of an 8 year old East New York child, Desean Hill, spurred  him action.  A decade later, Man Up! has grown to be a force for good in Brooklyn, becoming one of the most impactful and effective community groups in the city. They intervene and connect with kids before they fall victim to the lies of the fast life and support them on their journey to adult hood.  Their members also participate in a positive kind of recidivism, giving back to the group that helped them so others can benefit and follow the same path.  Their work has been so life changing, it warranted coverage from local news outlets usually more concerned with black bodies than black success stories.

Marlon Peterson, founder of the Precedential Group, spent a decade in prison for an armed robbery that resulted in death of his friend.  He shared a personal story about how circumstances and bad choices can scar you for life and despite everything that he's done positively since his release, there are still people who will never see him as anything more than a criminal, specifically the loved ones of the person that died as a result of his actions.  He has worked tirelessly with his group to arrest the cycle of violence where they can through his writing, which has appeared in many major publications and websites, and speaking engagements like this.

Iesha Sekou, CEO of Street Corner Resources

Iesha Sekou, founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources, is one of those people who is more of a force of nature than a personality.  She, more than anyone one the panel, made me smile with her unapologetic style and straightforward approach.  I always love those women that not only stand in their purpose but wield it like an Zulu spear, effecting positive change without compromising her values.  Iesha, like most of the panelists shared a personal story of how violence shaped her worldview and how it compelled her to be the voice to the voiceless through her radio show and irrepressible activism.  She's a member of more committees, councils, and organizations than I, ashamedly, can remember but she was by far my favorite panelist.

The story of final panelist, Oresa Napper Williams, founder of  the grief support organization Not Another Child, hit closest to home and was absolutely heartbreaking.  Her son was taken from her when he was 13, murdered by a 15 year old following the orders of a 32 year old thug.  Her story was how her organization helped her become functional again by helping others who were suffering like she was.  She even found a way to forgive the boy who killed her son.  The main reason she was able to do so was because the boy was grieving for her son as much as she was.  He didn't want to do it but the 32 year old threatened him.  To make it worse, it was a case of mistaken identity that the 32 year old tried to justify at his sentencing hearing by dragging Oresa's son's reputation through the mud.  Saying he shouldn't have been where he was or standing or with the people he was standing with as if caused his own death by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  That kind of scapegoating is all too familiar.  There was one aspect of her story that I found surprising, though.  After her son's death, some of her family chose to "move on" by not speaking his name.  She didn't need to say it but the look on her face was one I recognized as she spoke.  It was like they were killing him all over again.  He existed.  He lived, loved, laughed, cried, and meant something to the people who loved him.  I can't imagine how pretending he was never here, like he never mattered, could be construed as "healing."

The young man's name, by the way, is Andrell Napper.

Petra Lewis w/ Kathy Horan

The night ended with a reading from the best selling novel "The Sons and Daughters of Ham Book 1: A Requiem by the author herself, Petra Lewis, to whom I am grateful for inviting me.  This was followed by a Q & A with former WNYC reporter turned podcaster, Kathy Horan, where shared her personal story of how violence touched her life (stabbed in the leg at a night club, Uncle killed by a hitman hired by an ex, and a friend shot in the head) and she turned her grief into a critically acclaimed novel.  She urged those of us who had been similarly touched to give back through partnering with the organizations represented who've already done a lot of ground work.

It's tough to relate to the horrific scenarios described if you've never lived them but we can all relate to the grief of losing someone you love.  We live, we love, we bleed, we cry, and we hurt just like everyone else and that truth of our humanity should strike a chord with everyone, regardless of background.  Solving violence among our children is important work but also dependent on factors that are way beyond the control of the community itself.  Some of them are familiar like, lack of government funding for education, high unemployment, and poorly maintained infrastructure.  Others are more insidious like media and entertainment re-inforced negative stereotypes and historical precedent of discrimination.  In short, there is a lot of work to do and we'll need all the help we can get.
 
 


Here are a list of links of the attendees with info on how you can get involved.

Man Up! Inc., Founder A. T. Mitchell  http://www.manupinc.org/
Contact: atmitchell@manupinc.org
Not Another Child, Founder Oresa Napper Williams http://notanotherchild.org/
Contact: oresa@notanotherchild.org
Street Corner Resources, Founder Iesha Sekou http://scrnyc.org/
Contact: ieshasekou57@gmail.com
The Precedential Group, Founder Marlon Peterson http://www.precedentialgroup.com/
Contact: precedential@gmail.com
Petra Lewis http://www.hamnovels.com
Contact: Petra@Petralewis.com