2020 Pandemic

Other than thinking that 2020 was going to be the year we “fired trump,” I would not have guessed, had no inkling, 2020 would turn out the way it did. I knew a Corona Virus had hit China hard, but never thought we would see the devastating results we have seen in America and all due to the incompetence and narcissism of Donald Trump (yes, at last, I capitalize his name).

From January to March—we coasted—not recognizing the rollercoaster ride we were about to take and all the while, going about our “normal routines.” Now, we wonder if in fact, there was anything normal about those early months—especially now that we know trump knew in December what China was facing—well, actually what the world was facing, but he downplayed at the beginning and is now—at the end of 2020—still not dealing with the reality of this deadly virus as we can see in the 333 thousand deaths of Americans, with many more expected, by the time we reach the end of the year.

Our lives have changed forever.  What we thought was normal, is now a thing of the past. We are living in a new normal and no one can adequately predict how long the new normal will last which includes masking up—especially in close quarters with others. What we already know is that some will rebel and cost others their lives simply because they do not care about other people—though they will never admit it. That is the bottom line. Wearing a mask for them—infringes upon their freedom. They do not want to look like “sheep.” They do not want to maintain social distancing or follow any of the other guidelines determined by the experts—and of course—none of the rebellious are actually experts at anything other than complaining about “their rights,” while totally ignoring the rights of others, those of us who want to live a long life, totally unencumbered by the effects of COVID-19 or any of the mutated variants, now coming to light.

Many of us, while at home awaiting orders to resume our lives outside of our homes, took up baking. We baked and baked and baked and then we gained weight. Some of which, we have yet to shed because getting outside with mask-deniers is simply not worth the risk. So, we find other things to do—that are, unfortunately, not related to exercising. We watched more television, both news and movies. The news depressed us, so we retreated to heartwarming movies that gave us a bit of a reprieve from the devastating news of death totals across the country. We learned the art of video conferencing, thanks in no small part to Zoom, Google Classroom and Facebook Video Chats. Other companies have come aboard with the video capacity for those of us who are not corporate elites, but the retired and otherwise, working poor who can now communicate with family and friends without jeopardizing our health. Amazingly, churchgoers (not necessarily Christians) discovered they could actually worship God at home or enjoy church services via a video platform on their phone or laptop or tablet. How about that? God is everywhere! Of course, there is always a downside to just about everything, church leaders missed their offerings and so they filed lawsuits against wise government leaders who restricted the attendance of churches in person. We can see where their priorities lie—in the offering plate—not in the safety of their congregants.

We have seen throughout the four years of the current administration more blatant expressions of overt racism and bigotry than this country has seen in a long time. So much so that we have given the white women who make false claims against black people a name—Karen. The white males who are haters are more likely to kill a black person than to just call the police filing false claims, and then the black males, mostly, end up dead, for no apparent reason other than being black. We have seen protests arising from the disproportionate incidents of black deaths and we have also seen the total ignorance and lack of understanding of white people who simply choose to ignore the obvious. They have ranted against Black Lives Matter because they simply do not understand that the movement is not about ignoring the lives of others but highlighting the loss of black lives—specifically those killed by police officers or other angry white men. What we have seen in this country is the totality of ignorance abounding in people who refuse to research, using credible sources, and instead, choose to regurgitate the hatred and discompassionate rantings of idiots—including the orange menace. Though there have been some, as usual, who dared to stand up against the hatred and bigotry risking repudiation from members of their own families and certainly political parties and communities, the hatred abounds and swarms over communities of color with reverse racism, felt across the land. Too many people, so-called leaders in the black community, are engaging in efforts to vilify all white people, while promoting the antics of black people that are questionable, if not downright illegal.

We have watched while small businesses went under, not only because of the pandemic, but because rich lawmakers helped themselves to billions of dollars intended to help the small business owners. Families have suffered due to lost jobs and lost loved ones. The economy has certainly suffered, but it could have been saved sooner if those who have been and are still rebellious had just complied with the guidelines provided by the experts.

No doubt about it, this past year has been a rollercoaster ride for most of us and the end of the ride, is not yet known, even with the production of vaccines or getting vaccinated. All we can do to ameliorate the incoming year, is to remember this past year is to commit ourselves to doing better in caring about all. Mask-Up America, for as long as needed, without complaining or putting yourself or others at risk.

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A Rightful Place In History

Deb Haaland, President-Elect Joe Biden’s pick as Secretary of the Interior, the first Native Inhabitant to hold a position in a presidential cabinet will be a welcomed sight for many.

While listening to him describe her background, I was moved to the past, a past before America was America and struggled not to be angry over the treatment and massacre of so many human beings. I have always had an affinity towards the “Indians” in movies and hated watching them being accused of something they didn’t do and then being killed. My stepfather loved watching cowboy movies and unfortunately, the cowboys always won. The depiction portrayed was that Indians were evil and the cowboys were the good guys except for the fact that some of the cowboys were just downright evil.

All the cowboys portrayed in the television shows of old were white. All the bad or evil people were either black or Indian. And this is what generations of people grew up believing, until now. Until now, most chose to ignore the history of this land. How the Europeans came to this land, were helped by the Native Inhabitants to survive the elements and to grow food they did not know. Then, after surviving tenuous situations, the Europeans repaid the Native Inhabitants by stealing their land, killing off entire tribes, and relegating them to dry arid lands (reservations) where they were expected to just die off. They did not just die off and Deb Haaland is proof that no matter how terrible her ancestors were treated, the Native Inhabitants of the land knew how to survive, all the torture and mistreatment they have endured.

And they will survive to tell the story, a better story than the Europeans would ever tell because of the history in the making. What is shameful is the fact that there are still people (of European descent) who still think Native Inhabitants are inferior to them and they publicly treat them abominably. But then again, we have a segment of our society who treats everyone who does not “look like them or think like them or worships like them” abominably, still.

Now, there are number of people who might be reading this who might be wondering why a black woman is so outraged at the treatment of Native Inhabitants. Perhaps, the outrage is because they are human beings, just as I am, and I understand how hateful it is to be treated with disdain because that’s exactly how my ancestors were treated. The Native Inhabitants were already here, my ancestors were brought to this land in chains and forced to forego their native languages and customs to assimilate themselves to the white European ways. Or maybe the outrage stems from the blood flowing through my veins that aligns with tribes of the land.

There is so much that I can say about ill-will and faux superiority of white Europeans that it would take volumes to say it all. The true (unabridged) history books tell the story, how elected leaders ordered others killed, and no one cared, how faux negotiations were made for land and then the white man stole the land, breaching the negotiations made in good faith, forcing the Native Inhabitants to be on the move, giving up their way of life, just to survive the atrocities lodged against them.

America could have learned so much from the Native Inhabitants, had they been able to put their robe of superiority in a closet and donned a robe of humility for a few hundred years. Had there been an ounce of humility in any of those who came across the pond to this land, slavery would not have been an issue that has kept human beings in bondage for hundreds of years and in a state that many would like to see that particular position continue. Like the Native Inhabitants, black descendants of slaves learned survival and because of their inherent innovative skills, are responsible for multiple creations that have helped make life easier for all, though they were not always given credit for their contribution to this society.

What is country needs, is a microscopic look into the history that has brought us to this place and understand that if change, real change is not initiated, America will cease to exist as we have known it and the planet will die without the bold, creative genius employed by descendants of slaves that has so often been ignored. The Native Inhabitants knew how to take care of the land to keep a supply of food and resources available and the descendants of slaves, knew how to create what was needed from the resources sustained. If anyone should be wearing a robe of superiority it should be the Native Inhabitants, who had it not been for them, white Europeans would never have survived living in this land.

But all things being equal—at least that is the fight of the 21^st Century, that we are all treated equally, and no one suffers injustice—watching this step up for Deb Haaland and a host of ancestors will be the beginning of something wonderful and I sincerely hope, those who insist onto holding to their bigotry will move out the way or be moved out of the way so freedom and justice can be enjoyed by all.

When Do Black Lives Matter?

Of course, the question itself will bring about backlash from those with 1 dimensional (1D) thinking because it is not part of their message.

Well, it should be part of the message for everyone living in a community where the murder rate is beyond understandable. And yes, I am talking about black-on-black crime. It is unnerving and painful to acknowledge that the black community seems to be more concerned about the black lives taken by police, than those in their own community. Let’s face it–more black people are killed by other black people than those killed by the police.

Don’t get it twisted! I’m not saying there should not be a movement against police brutality against black people, but when is there going to be a movement against black people killing black people? The fact that black communities have become so desensitized to black-on-black crime makes those entire communities hypocrites when they protest police brutality and march in protests with BLM banners and wearing BLM T-shirts.

Until the black community wakes up–I mean really wakes up–and deals with the issues in their own back yards, on their own streets, how on earth do they think the killing of black people is going to cease? Yeah, the black community has myriad issues to deal with–poverty, illiteracy, mental illness, and homelessness, but are any of these issues a pass to commit crime? The drug-related crimes are over the top–not just those selling illegal drugs, but those committing crimes to get a fix. And then there is the greed, not need aspect of criminality in “the hood.” Carjacking, car theft, home invasions, and robberies. Now, these crimes are committed by every ethnic group, but stay focused–this essay is about black-on-black crimes.

People in the black community complain about the lack of opportunity and diversity in various places, but no one wants to own the problem with black-on-black crime. Why is that? Is it that “black lives matter,” only when the police are involved? Why don’t black lives matter daily, in every community?

Every year, new organizations rise and say they are going to solve the problem. Some may have put a “dent” in the problem, but the problem has not been solved. So many pastors and school leaders have attempted to stem the tide of violence and yet, the violence continues. Has anyone stopped to evaluate why? Has anyone stopped to think about emphasizing the need to stop killing each other in a manner that they see themselves differently? Has anyone thought about effective appropriate parenting classes would be in communities where the kids are angry and rebellious because parents are not parenting? How about parents teaching their children their value and worth before they ever start school? How about parents demonstrating, in front of the children, what it means to be a productive member of society? How about the church leaders stop passing the collection plate long enough to be an effective servant of God in teaching their congregations how to mentor children in their neighborhoods? When we as a community stop being so self-centered that we only care about us and seldom care about others?

When we learn to “love our neighbors as ourselves” real change will occur because love makes a difference. But if people do not love themselves, they are certainly not going to love others. So, let’s start with teaching people how to love themselves–displaying integrity, honor, and compassion. Until we do, the Black Lives Matter movement will continue to be a hypocrisy when black people, keep killing other black people.

Now do not think for a moment that I am advocating dissolution of the Black Lives Matter movement; I’m simply trying to put some perspective into the situation. We need police reform and it needs to begin with how police officers are trained, and continue as review on a regular basis–especially for those veteran officers who learned things one way and are reluctant or even rebellious about learning something new. When we as a people learn to respect all lives–especially those of our sisters and brothers of like skin-tones, maybe, just maybe–we can convince everyone else around us to respect us and our lives. Unless a person is defending their lives–no one should ever be killed–black or white or brown or any other ethnic group simply because of anger and a lack of inability to think before doing. Whenever people “react” to situations without thinking, they lose the ability to control a situation. Learn to respond and respect the lives of all.

Become a 3-dimensional (3D) thinker–thinking beyond what one can see or from just one perspective. When we do, we can solve problems and save lives.

Being A Proud Black Mother

I’m a proud black mother

Who reflects upon history

And understands the timeline,

The never-ending chronology

Of mothers’ fears, worries and concern,

About every child delivered and born

Into this world of inequality and scorn

Simply because of their skin tone.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

Who can and does empathize

With those who stood quietly,

Tears rolling down their face

Pain ripping apart every fiber of their being,

As they watched their babies,

Torn from their arms,

Sold, abused and misused, slaughtered and maimed

All at the white man’s whim

With no humanitarian laws against him.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

Who lived through Jim Crow laws,

Never fully understanding then,

Heartache endured of my kin

Who had to stay in “their place,”

Never muttering a word against

Discriminatory acts, fear etched in their face,

Because the laws were never just,

Never considered the black man worthy of equality

Or having just laws to protect their families,

All we got was silence, no response to our pleas

To be treated like human beings.

 

I’m a proud black mother

Who gave birth to two children

My daughter and son, in that order.

Teaching her how to avoid situations

That could traumatize her life,

Teaching him how to avoid strife

While living black.

Over 40 years later, since my children were born

Not much has changed, children are still torn

From their mothers in one way or another,

From police brutality or someone else’s brother,

Who just didn’t understand

How precious life is for every black man.

 

I’m a proud black mother

And though some may never admit,

Days of being concerned, fretfully

About the plight of every black child

Will never end, until every man, woman and child

Stops treating human beings differently,

Until laws include a humanitarian stance

With equality and justice for all,

No matter what our skin tone is called,

Because the simple truth is this,

If we believe mankind began on the African Continent,

We are all of African descent

And can no longer hide in ignorant bliss

Behind the lies of inferiority of one man

To appease a fragile ego of those needing

To feel and act superior.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

In my advanced age, still willing to take a stand,

Actively involved with my vote and my hands,

Working with the community to silence the hate

That if not quelled, will eventually obliterate

Any forward movement, any strides made

To cross that finish line where all men, women and children

Are seen as humans and not just the color of their skin.

But until that happens, please understand the need for all to see

Black Lives Matter—especially to mothers who look like me!

A Little Perspective

With all of the Executive Orders limiting and quarantining people–all over the world–and especially in the United States, people are grumbling.

CEOs are grumbling about losing money in businesses–the sports arena, airlines, children and parents are grumbling, every market that contributes to the economy is grumbling because of the attempt by many leaders to save lives–from a destructive virus that does not discriminate and then we have an occupant in the WH who chose not to recognize and deal with the situation earlier than he did. But this isn’t about him, it’s about us–the everyday, working Americans who have apparently taken the privileges (to get into cars and drive where we want to go, when we want to go, and do what we want, when we want to do it), we have as a right.

There are hungry children all over the world. There are adults struggling with lack of job skills, addictions and apathy. There are homeless people living in parks, dumpster diving to eat, sleeping in public toilets so they have someplace to wash their face. There are people who have job skills and can’t find jobs. There are companies who won’t hire specific groups of people and have wage caps that won’t allow a person to save for a rainy day.

Well that rainy day has come and it’s been raining for four weeks now with no sign of a let up, yet. Why? Because of that pesky virus that’s killing people and since we weren’t prepared to contain it or stop it, here we are–on lockdown–except for going out for essential needs–food and medicine. And here is where things get really crazy. The grumbling by folks who yet have lives to live–angry because they can’t travel to their homes up north, or have their landscapers cut their lawns (they can do it themselves, but that’s too much to expect of the privileged, right?) or they can’t go to the salon or the barber or get their nails done or do some spring painting or plant gardens. Really? Did anyone see the statement about lives lost?

Over 200,000 thousand people have contracted the virus in America and 20 thousand have lost their lives. In order to minimize any further loss of life, governors–primarily–have issued executive orders asking people to stay at home, away from large gatherings so they limit contact with others who might be carrying the virus. And what do silly people do? Complain and grumble.

I wonder what they would do if someone had started a war and over half of the nation’s buildings were destroyed, banks, hospitals, stores, farmland–everything. The homes in the Hamptons, and Martha’s Vineyard and further north in Michigan–all desolated and the beaches demolished with contaminated water. What good would privilege do anyone then? There is no food to be found, no water to drink and the air is polluted with contaminates from exploding bombs. What would we do then? There is no shelter other than a partially standing wall here and there, and masses are huddled wondering which way to turn or fearful if they’ll be attacked for the shreds they now call clothes. The rats are thriving, but there is little animal life left and people are hungry. What will they do?

We are not in that situation but there are people in other countries who are and they’re too busy trying to survive to complain. So why can’t we do the same? We need to take another look at ourselves and see this situation from a different perspective. We may be doing without our favorite restaurant or getting gussied up or entertaining friends and families, but what we have, that the dead don’t have is–another chance to live our lives, if we practice social distancing and abide by the executive orders of those who are simply trying to keep us safe. If we don’t have life, having a job won’t matter, flowers and vegetable gardens won’t matter, homes in other places won’t matter, none of it will matter if we are dead.

So, do everyone that’s left a favor–practice social distancing and give us all a chance to live until the next pandemic (for it will come), but let’s learn from this one how to survive and thrive, while we can. Think about it, with a little more perspective other than not being able to live our “privileged lives” having everything we want.

Politically Engaged

Looking back at the year 2019, I must admit, I was more engaged in the political arena than I ever thought possible. Though I was politically inspired to run for president in 2020 (reaction to trump in 2017) and motivated to support candidates in 2018, I never thought I’d actually run for an office. Although I didn’t win the seat for City Council, I gained so much more—friends, experience, and respect from the residents of Eastpointe (at least that’s the way they make me feel). And of course—support from family is always appreciated.

First of all, I attended my first swearing-in-ceremony for our Governor in January of 2019 and later that night, attended her inaugural ball. What a blast—from freezing outside in the morning to enjoying the glitz of the evening.

Later, in the same month, I was inspired to run for a seat on our City Council during a meeting with our State Representative, Kevin Hertel. I knew there were two seats open and knew one would be retained by the incumbent, and thought I had a shot at the other.

Thanks to the help of Robert Roscoe (who became my campaign treasurer), we were able to obtain the number of signatures needed to get on the ballot and from that point on—my life was a bit of a whirlwind. I was also serving as the secretary for our 9th Congressional District, secretary for the South Central Macomb Democratic Club, secretary of the Official Democratic Black Caucus of Macomb County and on the executive board of the Macomb County Democratic Committee. I also learned how to get endorsements by other groups

I began attending City Council meetings in 2017 and was even appointed to our Zoning Board of Appeals in 2018. Attended a class to enhance my understanding of what the role entailed and met Cliff Wilson (a really great guy), who was also in the class.

Did I mention that I also started working for the Eastpointe Community Schools District? Well, I did and met the most awesome women anyone could ever hope to meet—Karen Beltz, Michelle Dyrval, Helen Lee and Laurie Jeffries. Not that the others at the school weren’t awesome as well, but these were the women with whom I worked,  on a daily basis. During my short tenure at that school—we had a blast and I am so thankful for meeting them and still enjoying their company when possible.  They did not hesitate to support my political ambitions and I’ll be forever grateful to them.

The run for City Council entailed so much more than I’d thought about, but I was up for the challenge. Filed paperwork, opened bank account and ACTBlue Account, and planned a fundraiser, as well as attended others. I attended school board meetings, council meetings, city events, marched in parades, and trekked about the city wearing out two pair of gym shoes starting on a third pair. I participated in candidate forums, completed questionnaires, and was interviewed by local newspaper and television reporters, as well as an independent filmmaker (released later this year in 2020). I had meetings with residents on a regular basis, ramped up my social media accessibility for all and marveled at all the people I met—online.

There were people online (especially Facebook) who didn’t appreciate my campaigning on community group pages, but then there were awesome defenders of my campaign—Lauren Tossey immediately comes to mind, along with Laura Pagels and Jeanne Trice. And after that, a number of residents—Frank Accavitti, Phil DiMarialet, and others, let me know they supported my efforts.

During this time, I also became a block captain involved with our Eastpointe Neighborhood Watch Program—that’s how I met Laura and Jeanne and other residents on our three block area. I have the best neighbors in the world! And those in the NWG are the best. For “First Responders Day,” we provided our fire department with a meal and with a plea to assist, many of the block captains participated in providing a “Thanksgiving Meal” to our police and fire department.

Additionally, I met many people on the NextDoor community site. Tom Klawender will be a lifetime friend along with others, Gayle, Victoria, Danielle Gaston, Devi, Carol, Rhonda—and so many more, I can’t even remember everyone’s name at the present moment. And then there are is my Twitter Family (numbering over 9K) that were encouraging and supportive of my efforts in my political run. My social media family makes me realize how blessed I truly am.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t win the seat, but my determination to keep my promise, being a voice for the community, has put me on a different path—one I know I’ll enjoy and with the help of the residents, I know we’ll make a difference in this city. Here are the thoughts of one resident, posted on her page on Facebook and had me in tears:

I could be here the rest of the year ( ) writing about all the people that made 2019 better.

I’m going to keep it to one aspect and two people.

When I was in college, I had a professor in my ‘State and Local Government’ class who exhorted us to pay more attention to our local leaders, as what they did would have more of an impact on our daily lives than anything done on a federal level. He was right. Most of us can’t even name their Mayor or State Representative, but can tell you everything they like, or don’t like, about the President.

Keeping this in mind, both Ril Brozowski and Mary Hall-Rayford have reminded me of Professor Jarvis’ words from almost 40 years ago.

Ril for making Dania and I aware of the ‘players’ on our City Council, and for giving us some great advice PRN during our local elections this year.

Mary was a candidate for City Council this year. Unfortunately she did not win, but that has not slowed her down. Mary has some great insight into character and she has continued to be involved in the community. She makes herself available to all.

These two are the people the Prof spoke of and they have inspired me to heed his words….even if it has taken me years to do so!   Comment by Sue Fancett

So, this is how the year ended—with me in tears reading what a resident thought of me.

Now, I’m more determined than ever to make sure Eastpointe Residents have a voice in our local government—someone who will stand up for and with them as we move forward in becoming the Family Town—that embraces all.

School Readiness

Smooth Transition From Home To Classroom

Are your children ready to make that transition? How do you know?

For children entering a classroom–a structured environment, often for the first time–the experience can be pretty traumatic. In order to make sure a child is ready for the transition, a number of factors should be considered:

• Does the child know his/her birth certificate name?
• Does the child know mother/father’s names (other than mama or dad)?
• Does the child know how to sit still for at least 30 minutes?
• Does the child demonstrate ability to focus on starting and completing a task (tying shoes, coloring a page in a coloring book, etc.)?
• Does the child know where their address and parent’s telephone number?
• Does the child know his/her birth date?
• Does the child recognize letters of the alphabet?
• Does the child recognize numbers 0-9?
• Does the child use the bathroom by themselves?
• Does the child know how to hold a pencil/crayon?
• Does the child know how to hold a book?
• Does the child know how to follow instructions?
• Does the child know how to socialize appropriately with other children?

The above are the basics that every child should know before they ever cross the threshold of a classroom. Knowing these fundamental basics will insure a child’s success and learning will not be as traumatic as it for those who don’t know. A traumatized child means parents get lots of phone calls from teachers and principals.

A good pediatrician will always tell parents if there are physical or cognitive concerns about a child by the time they’re 3 years old. They monitor physical, fine motor skill development and the child’s ability to follow simple directions. Making sure a child is vaccinated ensures they’ll not infect others or get infected with communicable diseases. Make sure a record is kept of all their developmental milestones in a safe place.

To get a child ready for this monumental occasion, read to them, sing to them, play games with them that ignite a desire to learn and when they get to school, they’ll be ready to learn what the teacher has been prepared to teach. A child who sees a parent read a book is more apt to want to read for themselves. Having a variety of books available for children is a necessity to encourage strong literacy skills.

Breathe deeply–inhale–hold it, now let it out. Helping a child make this transition can be as easy as breathing when you know they’re ready for school. Help them and yourself–make sure they are SCHOOL READY!

 

 

Let’s Get Started!

We’ve moved into the new year and I hope many of you have aspired to do great things for the greater good of all people. It’s time to get started!

We cannot hold onto all the things that didn’t work in 2018, but we must use the power of reflection and analysis to make sure we can plan better for 2019 and beyond. The problem with most of us–is human nature–the lack of ability to see or think beyond the moment and therefore, our plans often don’t succeed because we must always look beyond where we are and where we want to go, but where we can see ourselves at least two years beyond the moment. If we have to make adjustments to get there, we make the adjustments by having a contingency plan, included in our plan of action.

Okay, 2018 mid terms are over. Local elections are coming up in probably most states in 2019 and we must get ready now and in the process, determine how what we do with our local elections in 2019 can shape what can happen in 2020–the next presidential election. I’m super glad that Democrats won big in a number of states that changed the “faces” literally in The House and since most of the Senate seats are up next, we can do the same thing there–if we plan and start working towards the goal–right now.

Local elections are important because many of those persons who win, move onto the state and national election venues. We must know who it is we elect to any position of governance at the basic level. We need to know who our school board members are–their character and nature, the county commissioners, the city council members (whatever they are know as–assemblies, etc.). Before we work to elect them to State offices, what have they done on the local level that warrants our trust at another level? Are watching what they do? Do they have the interests of all people at the heart of their votes or is it just about personal agendas and they don’t care about the people? We must think about these things before committing our time and finances to anyone. We, the people who elect those who are supposed to represent us–must pay attention to everyone running for office. Electing people who have been in public service is a must–no matter what level that public service has been–it proves they have a heart for people.

Primaries are important! We must educate, inform everyone where we live on the importance of the primary elections in every state. Who ends up on the ballot for all general elections is decided by who wins the primaries. We must get people out to vote in all primaries at all times. If we don’t–we may not end up with the best choices for the general elections.

Character matters–we cannot afford to promote or elect people of questionable character and that has nothing to do with their sexual orientation, gender or religious beliefs. Are they trustworthy? Are they corrupt? Would we trust them with our children–our most precious resources? These and other questions like these are the types of questions we must be willing to ask. If we can’t get coherent responses or only get apathetic ones, we need to look for other candidates who can enthusiastically embrace and demonstrate our core beliefs–caring for humanity and in protecting our democracy.

With all of that being said, I’d like to encourage all who can–to help promote Democratic parties across the nation. I know many cannot afford to contribute financially to all (I can’t), but if everyone with a social media presence, promotes Democratic Candidates across the nation, no matter where they are, we can help make a difference. Right now, I’m thinking specifically about Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee. We can locate Democratic parties through Facebook in every state and encourage them by our support in helping them to find candidates who can win against every Republican who has stood in lock-step with trump–voting against the interests of the people.

If we get started now–we can help make a positive difference in every state across the nation, but we must get started now. Are you with me? Let’s get started! And make sure our promotion and support is about the issues–not trump. No matter what we say about trump, his supporters won’t be dissuaded so we must concentrate on the 68% of the population who will work to get the job done. Remember–Democrats have already demonstrated, we care about all the people and we must ensure that all the people have access to healthcare, veterans are taken care of, working citizens have livable wages, and a quality education is available for all. If you tend to forget, keep this blog handy and refer to it often–Democrats Care About All The People!

My Review of 2018

This entire year has been memorable for a number of reasons as indicated in the bulleted list.

• Contacted Gretchen Whitmer to volunteer for her campaign
• Collected signatures on petitions for her campaign
• Attended Petition Submission
• Attended events for her campaign across the State
• Canvassed for the Democrats throughout my community
• Joined the local Dem club
• Attended first Democrat Conventions
• Worked the polls during primary and general election
• Joined the Black Caucus Dem Club
• Attended County Democrats Convention
• Elected to Executive Board of County Democrats
• Attended many meet and greets for candidates
• Promoted a boatload of Democrat candidates on social media
• Created live videos promoting the importance of voting, immigration, etc.
• Created videos to just to vent against the idiot-in-chief
• Created videos to promote my potential candidacy for president in 2020
• Watched the biggest sham of a presidency reveal more stupid and treasonous activities on a daily basis.
• Participated in several Marches in the cold, in the rain, in the heat: March For Our Lives, Families Belong Together, Cinco De Mayo Parade, Labor Day Parade,
• Lost 16 pounds knocking on doors
• Saw Bill Cosby go to jail for sexual assaults
• Saw many celebrities accused of sexual misconduct
• Saw the stain of corruption spread to the Supreme Court with the Kavanaugh confirmation
• Determined Russia has infiltrated American democracy with the intent to demolish it with the help of Koch Brothers, the Mercers, the Adelsons, the Murdochs and corrupt, treasonous Republicans (most now trumplicans)
• Vowed to fight against tyranny and a “life-time president”
• Learned the journey to the White House–is costly–emotionally, physically, as well as financially
• Trained to become more politically active in all elections

It has been a very busy year, one that has opened my eyes and hopefully the eyes of others in understanding we cannot be apathetic bystanders, we must get involved at every stage of local government to ensure our democracy is sustained and all participate in the process.

I won’t bore people with redundancies, since I’ve actually written about much of what has occurred this year, but I wanted to put in one place, a summary of my political involvement on my journey to the White House. A look back at what we’ve done is a good place to start planning where we go next and how best to make it work for all involved.

Hope you’ve all had a merry Christmas and look forward to a happy New Year (without the anger or lies of you-know-who).

 

Black Voters Beware!

Though reports are just being revealed about the nature of Russian disinformation and misinformation, it is astounding to see how much they understood how easily manipulated Black voters would be. Most of the misinformation under the guise of accounts supposedly belonging to Black Lives Matter or other such accounts, they were able to feed Black voters information that intentionally targeted them to either vote for Republicans or not to vote at all.

The report reveals that the Russian trolls were able to convince Black folks to attend rallies that became chaotic and unruly resulting in arrests, create such animosity against Black politicians and the Democratic party that many chose to stay at home and not vote or to vote and write in ridiculous names for the presidential candidate, and then to me, the most appalling event was in having Black folks malign and disparage other Black folks if they dared to discuss being a Democrat.  When so-called professionals, deliberately attempt to undermine the democratic process by promoting misinformation, we have a problem. The only people who can alleviate the problem is the Black Voter by educating themselves to the facts.

I’ve written about this before in my blogs, but it warrants repeating to some degree.

• “The Inconvenient Truth About the Democrat Party” as told by Carol Swain, Ph.D. at PragerU is partial truth and to me a whole lie. This is a conservative production, deliberately attempting to conflate truth with their own narrative.
• Fox Entertainment Network is not a news show and none of the Black hosts or pundits will ever represent the Black Community. They are shills (especially Candace Owens) who are paid to get Black Americans to rethink their values and hopefully persuade them to vote for Republicans.
• The Republican party of the 21st Century is not the same party of the 19th or 20th Century. Common sense–if all are paying attention to what’s going on in politics–should rule. Republicans are responsible for voter suppression (shutting down early voting, closing voting locations, not counting all absentee ballots, criminally collecting ballots to either change them or to make sure they are never returned, to intimidation–having racist monitors at polling places). Just recently, we have seen election fraud in North Carolina by the Republican candidate–Mike Harris, and Republican legislators trying to subvert the will of the voters in Michigan (Rick Snyder) and Wisconsin (Scott Walker)–simply because they lost leadership positions to Democrats and yet they think they have the right to legislate incoming Democrat authority.
• Republicans are still trying to keep Americans from being healthy and this particularly true for Black Americans who may be stripped of healthcare coverage because of their mandates, designed to strip people of dignity and access to adequate healthcare, especially for those with preexisting conditions.
• Republicans are slashing educational budgets in Washington to make sure that Black communities don’t have the resources needed for a quality education from K-12 and beyond.
• Republicans are reversing consumer protections that allow us breathe cleaner air, drink uncontaminated water and eat food not poisoned by chemicals in the soil.
• Republicans are creating a mockery of economic wealth enjoyed only by the rich since most of us end up paying the costs for unwarranted tariffs on goods we all all use. Ask the farmers how this has worked out for them and then while you’re shopping, understand why a head of iceberg lettuce will cost $2 or more in the grocery store. Don’t get upset with companies falling by the wayside and closing shop, get upset with the idiot in the WH who thinks “trade wars are fun.”
• Republicans are also reconstructing what anti-discrimination laws look like and that directly affects what access most of us will have to educational systems and jobs.

The point of all this is to make the Black Community aware of what has been done to discourage our votes for those (Democrats) who actually attempt to make laws that benefit us. The more we know–especially those of us who have lived through the 50s and 60s–the more wisdom we have to pass along to the younger generations. We must provide them with all the tools they’ll need to be successful and to survive the onslaught of racism and bigotry that will exist for generations to come. We must educate ourselves to the truth, living in the present moment–taking what we learn from the past regarding political parties and using it to build a solid foundation for our future–as forward thinking Democrats.

BLACK VOTERS–LISTEN AND HEAR ME WELL–We are an important factor in every election–local, state and national and it’s time we started acting like we are part of the solution and not part of the problem. How do we manage that? We get involved–totally engaged in the political process making sure our concerns are heard and addressed and and making sure we’re willing to “work” to make it happen. Talk is cheap and the only prayers answered are those that are followed up with action. Heard the saying, “Action speaks louder than words?” It’s true, we more involved we are as a community of Americans of Color, the less likely we’ll be ignored and the greater the likelihood we’ll see legislative policies enacted that benefit us, and not treat us like we are “less than” anyone else.

Is this clear enough for you? If not, please don’t hesitate to do the research for yourself or contact other Black leaders in the Democratic party for resources or to contact me via the email listed on my campaign page: facebook.com/YesIAm2020. This is not an attempt to solicit your vote, but the email address on this page is public knowledge and has a phone number you may call and leave a message. I care enough about the Black Community and what we can accomplish through the political machinery to risk having idiots contact me, however–my political platform is to represent all Everyday Americans and if elected President of the United States, that’s exactly what I’ll do–sign bills and lobby for those which benefit all the people, not just some of them. We can do this–unified–when we understand who we are and how the forces outside of us attempt to keep us marginalized, disenfranchised,  and underrepresented in all arenas.

Find a local Dem club and get involved and then run for office–on the local, state or national level. Don’t just sit twiddling your thumbs and complaining–jump in where you fit in and work it to your advantage–to benefit the entire community. Our Vote Is Our Voice In Our Democracy!