Where Do We Go From Here, How Can We Breathe Going Forward in America

As we remember George Floyd's inevitable tragedy, once again it open the discussions buried through the years on racism and equality. If one search for books all related to the topic today, there are hundreds maybe even thousands written though the years. Hence is why it surprising  to hear and see those still on denial or simply lying that there is no systemic racial divide in America. 

As the protest marches dwindle or grow today it is clear that people need change. Whether it comes now or may in some time, the key is to ensure that the foundations we need to going forward starts today. The last two days there were significant symbolic gestures like the NASCAR on banning confederate flags, curating the Gone in the Wind movie for now, and moves on some cities about statues being removed. Yet having both experiences in business and politics, I personally have high regards on CEO's and Board Members of important organizations stepping down and giving their cherished sits and positions to African Americans and minorities, If you've been on both sectors like me I know that this move is huge and big as it signifies acknowledgement and affirmative action to do something in respect to the movement.

We also saw the last two days the voting issues in Georgia noting that the majority of the problems came from the marginalized black and minority communities. This shows moreover the continuing disparities that between all races that we need to stay vigilant in this coming November elections if we are indeed for the Black Lives Matter cause. In the midst of a pandemic, it is a known fact that more cases are expected to go up and more deaths. As we all know 46% of these cases and deaths will affect the so called essential workers under privilege low income blacks and minorities. For states that have already started mail in votes it's one way we can support this by sending in ballots way early. Even with the onset of social media and technology, one way to get connected is educating ourselves through word of mouth even local newspapers if they still exist on the real issues we need to focus instead of getting influence by what we see on social media as this is where the paid political advertisements come in notwithstanding how the 2016 elections were infiltrated by foreign adversaries.

  While browsing our book shelf today, I found When Minorities Lead in America. When we look way forward to the future I believe that a  complete healing on racism can culminate when we finally see a lot of minorities in America as leaders in the most important sectors of society. Having had a black president for 8 years cannot fixed the systemic ongoing racial disparities. The 44th President's administration had laid important foundations that needs to be continued as this will be an ongoing process for years as the problem is so deep. And as I've mentioned, we need leaders in business, science, technology, politics and such that are minority led and whom truly understand the plight of the under privileged.  It's easy to say we understand but unless we've been there and gone through the problems itself, we won't really completely understand the problems inherent.

I'm gonna end up this post by quoting from the Black Lives Matter movement website where they posted what they are about. 

"

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.

We are expansive. We are a collective of liberators who believe in an inclusive and spacious movement. We also believe that in order to win and bring as many people with us along the way, we must move beyond the narrow nationalism that is all too prevalent in Black communities. We must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front.

We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. Our network centers those who have been marginalized within Black liberation movements.

We are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise.

We affirm our humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.

The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation."

Antidemocractic tactics of deceit, lies and confusion for media domination

Famous authoritarian rulers historically can be remembered as the greatest manipulator of the media, the air waves on tv, newspaper print and now in this century, "the social media" It's surprising to note that common laymen like all of us have to go to so much verification and scrutiny to create a username, handle, page or even an ad on the this platforms if they think it has some kind of relation to politics or political views and opinions. Yet those, in the highest places of power are the exceptions to all of us that they can say or advertise anything they want. Of course this is a debate-table statement however this is based on my own personal views and experience. 

I highlighted, "Antidemocracy in America" as a reference point. This book written in 2019 made a statement on how there could be a unsettling turn toward authoritarian rule. It warn from the social impact of tweets, the breaking news stories using political drama as a strategy. The /fake news/ statements has gotten so much dominance on psychological reverse mentality aiding with the daily shows for everyone to watch.

George Packer of the Atlantic wrote in April 2020, "But a simple intuition had propelled Trump throughout his life: Human beings are weak. They have their illusions, appetites, vanities, fears. They can be cowed, corrupted, or crushed. A government is composed of human beings. This was the flaw in the brilliant design of the Framers, and Trump learned how to exploit it. The wreckage began to pile up. He needed only a few years to warp his administration into a tool for his own benefit. If he’s given a few more years, the damage to American democracy will be irreversible.

In page 136 of this book "How We Got Here" it talks on the roots of our current criminal justice system in the 1960's. The debates and need for legislation already started then. Sad to say during the Nixon presidency the US Federal government withdrew resources from the cities where these debates started. It expanded support for law enforcement and design a more punitive criminal justice system.  Hence, in the on-going street protest a big part of the battle cry is start the change way down from the local governments.

The calls for overall of the criminal justice system was fortified by the Black Lives Matter movement and books like The New Jim Crow. On the book's page 140, it writes, "President Trump's repeated calls for "law and order" represent a clear turn backward to the rhetoric used by Richard Nixon in 1968". The last few days we know what law and order means "Domination"  

Certain TV  networks that promoted Trump and is still is; the primary voters who elevated him; the party and politicians who eventually surrendered and glorified him, the so-called intellectuals who argued for him, and the donors who, however grudgingly, wrote checks to him—all of them knew, by the time they made their decisions, that Trump lied all the time, about everything. They knew that Trump was ignorant, and coarse, and boastful, and cruel.

After all it is a show and the higher the ratings are means, the road to re-election. There are so many ways we can act and fight for the cause of equality. One big part  is to continue correcting the propaganda,