When I was growing up, I never saw a magnolia tree or, if I saw one, I didn’t know what it was. Now I have two huge magnolias and, while the blossoms are beautiful, I would not have chosen the tree to grace my yard. Why? The leaves take way too long to decompose and are tough to shred. At one time, in the layers of leaves beneath one of the trees was a nest of wasps. Needless to say, I did not rake those leaves.
They told us to pray with eyes closed, so their God could hear us. We naively closed our eyes to pray to their God, for we were curious. When we opened our eyes to unanswered prayers, they handed us a Bible and herded us into encampments, for they had stolen our land. Thanks to Bishop Tutu.
“Make America Wealthy Again”–sign at RNC. Greed based policies–the less than one percent need to be wealthier? At whose expense–middle and lower classes–we don’t require any wealth…the wealthy will take care of the rest of us…remember trickle down…wow–that meant a hollowed out middle class living on credit and a lower class that had to work four soul destroying jobs to pay rent (eating? who needs to eat?) And the Republican rank and file get nothing but hate filled rhetoric that acts as an opiate that blinds them to their true status which is to be the source of labor and money. In the Civil War, the farmers and other low class Southerners got nothing out of the war except missing limbs and PTSD. The planter class shared nothing with them, not even political power. When did thinking one was better than someone else put food on the table?
The true spirit and meaning of the (14th) amendments . . . cannot be understood without keeping in view the history of the times when they were adopted, and the general objects they plainly sought to accomplish. At the time when they were incorporated into the Constitution, it required little knowledge of human nature to anticipate that those who had long been regarded as an inferior and subject race would, when suddenly raised to the rank of citizenship, be looked upon with jealousy and positive dislike, and that State laws might be enacted or enforced to perpetuate the distinctions that had before existed. . . . [The Fourteenth Amendment] was designed to assure to the colored race the enjoyment of all the civil rights that under the law are enjoyed by white persons, and to give to that race the protection of the general government in that enjoyment, whenever it should be denied by the States. https://law.justia.com/constitution/us/amendment-14/08-equal-protection-and-race.html#:~:text=%5BThe%20Fourteenth%20Amendment%5D%20was%20designed%20to%20assure%20to,whenever%20it%20should%20be%20denied%20by%20the%20States. Now, MAGA is using this amendment to protect white people from racism and discrimination that does not exist. What they really want to do is to use this amendment to prevent Black people from suing white people for the racism and discrimination that has never ceased and to ensure that no one benefits from this country but white people. Where are the strict constructionists and originalists? No where to be found because white people must be only ones to have their opportunity protected, despite the illogic and lack of necessity of such protection.
Today, explanation first–I access You Tube, but I usually do not listen, I read the dialogue or transcript. My preference. I read the dialogue of a male Black You Tuber who seemed to be giving a nod to Ramaswamy’s speech at the RNC. I am beginning to believe that Black males, at least some on You Tube, suffer from Black Baptist minister syndrome and Thug Syndrome. With Black Baptist minister’s syndrome, it doesn’t matter what you say, all that matters is how you say whatever nonsense you are spouting. From this You Tuber’s perspective, Ramaswamy’s delivery was all that mattered. That Ramaswamy speech was based in lies that have been fact checked over and over again did not appear on this You Tuber’s radar. The You Tuber obviously did not know of the Republican’s history of favoring the rich. The only unity the Republicans were preaching throughout the RNC was that the majority of its supporters and all Americans who were not their definition of rich would be united in poverty and ignorance.
This You Tuber had not read Project 2025 or even the Republican platform which is ripped from the pages of Project 2025. This You Tuber didn’t appear to know that the United States has never been a meritocracy. That the United States has from its inception been ground zero for rich, landed, white, protestant males to exercise their greed and barbarism. Nowhere did he note that Ramaswamy has been told to his face that white Republicans would not vote for him because he was not white. Ramaswamy is what we Blacks call a “Biscuit eater”–one who betrays his people for the crumbs thrown his way by the white man.
The RNC was a week of lies told in the fashion of a Black Baptist minister–an emotional roller coaster that leaves you exhausted and empty, but does nothing to put food on the table.
Thug syndrome–in #45’s world, there is no law and order and no accountability for crimes committed. Therefore, there will be a market for the pardons he will graciously sell. Black males apparently think being a thug is glamorous and they support a criminal who will sell them a pardon. Of course, one would have to be a thug with money, but that is their fantasy like all the ones who think they will be a sports star. There are many at the bottom and few at the top.
Maybe, these You Tubers are doing what an acquaintance told me about growing a viewership. I suppose AI answered his question about how to grow a viewership. Basically, the response was find a pain point and aggravate that pain. There are no ethics involved–exploit pain. Many do that by being oppositional and their videos have nothing to do with their beliefs or facts. Nothing matters except growing their viewership and monetizing their channel. To me that is soul destroying. But, I’ve said it before, greed is the religion of this country. And, it’s okay to sell your soul in service of your religion, isn’t it?
Existential–relating to or dealing with existence. When someone says #45 and the Republican Party are an existential threat to democracy, do we really understand the gravity of the situation or do we hear hyperbole and dismiss what we are hearing? The United States is a democratic republic.–
…as shown by these definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary:
- Republic: “A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.“
- Democracy: “A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.“
Eugene Volokh of the UCLA School of Law observes that the United States exemplifies the varied nature of a constitutional republic—a country where some decisions (often local) are made by direct democratic processes, while others (often federal) are made by democratically elected representatives. Excerpt from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_republic
Do we the people want a say in the ethos of this country? Ethos–the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. Do we want a country that aspires to be for, of, and by the people? Or do we want a country that only benefits wealthy, white, male misogynists and their corporate creations? I think the South was an example of that type of country before the Civil War. Is that when America was great? Greatness could be in the future of the United States, but the United States, in its past and in its present, has only aspired to greatness. The words are there, but the reality of the words has never been manifested, not in these United States.
On Sunday, July 21st, President Biden announced that he would withdraw from the race for presidency. The wealthy donors’ demands were met, and we, the people, have been told in no uncertain terms that our choice does not matter. The corporate media is happy–clicks mean money and what a story. President Biden has endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris. She will face a triple threat–a contested convention, misogyny, and racism. President Biden’s act may be an act of statesmanship. However, the Republican Party has no statesmen and cares nothing for the ideals envisioned by the founders and set forth in the Constitution. So an act of statesmanship in an arena where statesmanship has no adherents may be a win for the deplorables.
The Republican strategy appears to be get a horrible human being elected president, who either dies or resigns, leaving a much younger VP as president. If he resigns, he will be pardoned. This VP will then have the benefit of incumbency in 2028. By then, the right to vote will have been stripped from the majority of we, the people. The checks and balances of the Constitution have been neutralized. The Supreme Court is doing what it can to facilitate a dictatorship. And, at this time, Congress is non-functional. That young VP will then rule as a dictator and the United States will be Russia’s puppet. That’s the endgame of the Republicans–a corporate oligarchical autocracy ruled by a dictator who will allow the pillaging of not only this country, but any country that it decides to subjugate. All in pursuit of more riches for the less than one percent. Remember greed is the god of the Republicans.
The Democrats’ plan? Not apparent, however, VP Haris has enough support so there will be less of a chance of a contested convention. The misogyny and racism tropes from the Republicans have already begun. Anyone who is not a white male is now DEI which in their book is a bad thing. Can’t say it enough–this country has never been a meritocracy. That word only comes into play when someone who is not a white male has a position that the white supremacists believe only white males should have.
If VP Harris can continue to grow the middle class through support of the unions and taxation of the uber wealthy, then that is a good thing. The right to abortion which has turned into a right to medical care for women must be protected. Putting citizens to work through the passage of bills like the The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is important. Jobs that do not require formal education, but training, must be made available. Unfortunately, book learning and critical thinking have been demonized by the Republicans and the curricula in many schools do not teach any life skills. VP Harris has my support because the alternative is a white, christian nationalist, fascist… horror.
Bernice Johnson, the founder of the a capella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, has passed. Rest in peace. I don’t listen to their music as much as I did in the past, but there is something about the group’s singing that is soothing. So, every so often, I’ll play a CD and wonder why it’s taken me so long to give them a listen.
But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. Sun Tzu
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