 There is no substantial difference between the Democrat and Republican parties traditionally. Most Black politicians and community leaders have been comfortable with incremental progress. The presidency of Barack Obama is the very definition of incremental progress. While the election of Obama was a political earthquake, it’s result was overall a very positive time for Black people in general. The progress of racial justice made by Blacks was still incremental even with a Black President and Black Attorney General. Donald Trump will be the leader of the radical right after his term in office. Donald Trump has an army of white supremacists, white nationalists, and so called militias that he can call on as needed. When Black people attempt to exercise their 1st amendment rights to assembly and protests we will be faced with counter protests by armed groups on one side and law enforcement using new laws similar to that proposed by Governor DeSantis of Florida on the other side. This will likely define the next phase of public protest in the struggle for racial justice. There is currently no counter balance to non-violent protest. My premise or hypothesis is that the current tactic of local governments is
Without targeted offensive acts of civil disobedience in which people will be arrested and jailed the protests will be ineffective. My point here is that the carrot does not work if there is no stick. Non-violent protests regardless of the size is no longer an incentive for politicians and law makers to act. The only time there is attention to demands is when there is a disruption to business and normal operations of commerce or daily life. We need thousands of individuals to participate in targeted protest whose objective is to shut down the operations of corporations. Blocking the entrance of logistical centers, data centers, telemarketing sites, and corporate headquarters will bring attention to the demands of Black Americans. These individuals will be arrested. If the protests result in achieving direct payment reparations for every descendant of slaves (every person – felons, the incarcerated, and all others) in America, the benefits will far outweigh the costs. We need African Americans in the data science community to come together and develop the tools to facilitate this part of the movement. I am confident that methods of communicating with and directing protestors in the struggle can be developed and deployed by data scientist in a relatively short period of time. 
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 Alarm Bells
There is concern and uncertainty at the highest level of the federal government. The election results are one thing but what appears to be happening goes far beyond that. It appears that the Trump administration is in the process of staging a scorched earth process on their way out the door. I say this because not only has the president fired the Secretary of Defense, he has also replaced all the senior civilian leadership at the Pentagon and CIA. Consider the fact that Trump is simultaneously
As commander and chief of the US military apparatus, the president can have a devastating effect on our overall security for decades by taking nefarious actions over the next two months. No Checks and Balances The Republican leadership around the country is fearful of the president since he has the support of over 70 million voters. He is clearly the leader of an army of white supremacists, white nationalists, and militia groups across the country. Who will stand up to the president? Not Mitch McConnel, Lindsay Graham, William Barr or Mike Pompeo. They are all on board. Most of the those who oppose him have no power to stop him from ordering unpatriotic acts. Donald Trump is a dangerous man right now - he is cornered, he is humiliated by the election loss, and he is desperate to not loose the power of the presidency. His entire family has a lot at stake – financially. We know they have profited from his position as president and most of this has been facilitated and controlled by his sons and daughter. Russian Influence It has been obvious for some time that Vladimir Putin has something on Donald Trump. Putin has been able to control Trump. Under normal circumstances, no man is as impotent and neutered around another man like the President is around Putin without him being extremely fearful of that man. The Take Away We should all be watchful of what transpires over the next few weeks and be ready. It may very well come to national protests in the streets in opposition to actions taken in Washington DC. I am of the opinion that all the posturing surrounding his election accusations is just a head fake. He and his family is involved in something much more devious and ultimately profitable. There is a power move underway and its details are not apparent to the average person. I am certain there are those that see the scheme but are afraid to confront or reveal it. The American people need the patriots in the halls of the US government to step up and protect us all from this scourge.  Now that Joe Biden has been declared President-Elect, I am wondering what knowledge can be gained by looking at the demographics of the vote. In short, who voted for Trump and, regardless of the rhetoric, who supports the racial justice agenda of African-Americans. We sit in Zoom meetings, professional conferences, and the breakroom at work with people of all backgrounds and political positions. Until recently, there has been an art to projecting the politically correct persona depending on the group or individual you are talking with. The Trump presidency has stripped the cover off of some deeply held racial and social mobility beliefs that perpetuates systemic racism in corporate, educational, and governmental organizations across America. One of the most comprehensive election exit polls that I have found is conducted by Edison Research for the National Election Pool and reported by the New York Times. The preliminary results of interviews with over fifteen thousand voters after casting their ballots indicate some interesting insights.
The most significant insight is the fact that White women voted for Trump at the same rate as White men. Don’t be fooled by the rhetoric of suburban, college educated White women. They continue to vote to perpetuate the systemic power of White men and their White sons. Another significant but not surprising fact is that 54% of White people making “good money” over $100K prioritized the economy and their 401Ks over your civil rights as an American citizen. The fact that you are racially profiled and disproportionately killed by police is less important than their financial health.  All of you mid-career African-American men and women in corporate and educational organizations, please know that more than half of those helpful, nice and supportive White women don’t see a problem with police brutality and unequal justice that your family endures. At the very least, its not a national priority, the economy – money and the power it brings – is the most important priority for them. Black and Hispanic/Latino voters had to come out and vote in record numbers for Joe Biden to become President. Even with four years of Trump’s lying, corruption, and racist rhetoric more White men and women voted for him in 2020 that did in 2016. Think about that. It is White Americans that need to soul search and check their moral compass. It is this group of Americans above all else that need to have tough conversations among themselves. In my opinion, Black Americans must now devise a national strategy that negatively impacts the economic well-being of corporate and educational organizations. They cannot be allowed to operate business “as usual” without pressing law makers to directly address each aspect of the Contract With Black America and direct payment reparations.
What will be different on Wednesday, November 4th? We will still be in a raging pandemic with many states in an exponential upswing of new cases and deaths from the Coronavirus. We have no idea how many evictions and foreclosures are predicted in the coming months. Furthermore, there is no data on how many evictions there were in 2019 according to Slate.com (Sept 28, 2020). Word on the street is that most landlords are under pressure and moving forward with evictions despite the CDC order for a moratorium on evictions in the name of public health. Not counting all those who have stopped looking for a job, the Black unemployment rate is 12.1% compared to the overall rate of 7.9% (Federal Reserve Bank, St. Louis, MO). There were over 750,000 new unemployment claims last week compared to 187,000 claims during the same week in 2019 (US Dept of Labor). Food insecurity has practically doubled this year compared to last year. While there is no current data, we know that 19.1% of Black households were considered food insecure in 2019 according to the US Department of Agriculture. Unarmed Blacks are being killed at a rate of at least 2 per month nationwide. Black people are also 3 times more likely to be killed than whites. All this to say, "There’s not much that will change for Black America after the election". It may be a “feel good” moment if Joe Biden wins but it won’t last long. The suffering will continue. It won’t take long for anger to replace the good feelings when the community sees there is no economic relief forthcoming from the US Congress. I predict we will see riots and looting by Christmas regardless of who wins the election. Why? Because the facts on the ground do not change. Furthermore, there is no end in sight for the Covid deaths, unemployment, evictions, police killings and hunger in many Black communities nationwide. At some point the suffering will overwhelm the general good sense that people have demonstrated thus far. This holiday season will be one of the worse on record for most Black households. The disappointment will be demonstrated by violent outburst, riots and looting.  I believe all the chaos, suffering and vandalism coming could have been avoided if the US Congress would have acted prior to the election. Once again we have seen them not do the work of the American people, even at our darkest hour in the middle of a pandemic. Congress continues to pander and look out for the monied interest and not ordinary citizens. As always, Black families are at the end of the line when it comes to ending the economic suffering in this country.
Hey Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnel, you can’t say you didn’t know. All the warning signs have been flashing for months. You chose not to heed the warnings. Will your response to Black America be more violence? I don’t think you will be able to do anything but continue using the same tired law and order playbook and escalate the cycle of suffering and violence. Ice Cube and has presented the Contract With Black America (to both the Democrat and Republican parties. Democrats are interested but won’t discuss or address the document until after the presidential election. Republicans are interested and wanted to have an in-depth discussion prior to the presidential election. Ice Cube has been criticized by those in support of Democrat party for even talking to let alone negotiating specifics with the President of the United States. I find this situation to be absurd. The Black community is in a catastrophic state right now. Let’s talk facts…
This controversy is a cynical ploy to divide Black people, sow seeds of distrust and diminish the power of the Contract With Black America. To embrace and implement the contract will cost billions of dollars. The more that can be done to damage the initiative the longer America can go on with business as usual. Ice Cube is absolutely correct to talk to those in power and willing to demonstrate interest in the comprehensive Contract With Black America. I fully support Ice Cube in his position. Let’s be clear, we’re talking about Black people who are the descendants of slaves in America. Not diversity, not people of color, not black and brown people, simply Black Americans descendants of slaves in America. The time is now. The situation is urgent. Black people are suffering from all sides – health, wealth, unemployment, hunger, evictions, and police brutality. Let’s stop playing games and get a comprehensive game plan to get all the elements of the Contract with Black American enacted. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing improper about prosperity. The question of immorality comes in when we know people are suffering in almost every corner of the nation and there is no political will on the part of those that have benefited the most from the current system to do something definitive to address the suffering and death. If Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Michael Bloomberg, Steve Ballmer, Jim & Alice & Rob Walton, Charles & Julia Koch, Jonathan Gray, Elon Musk, Tom Rutledge, Joseph Ianniello, James Dimon, James Gorman, Lloyd Blankfein and Michael Corbat all held a “Summit to Save America”, we would not see the suffering in the country that we have witnessed so far this year not to mention what is to come over the next six to twelve months. This is the immorality – We have the means and the minds to address and alleviate all the suffering in our nation but those who could devise and facilitate the rescue continue to be consumed by their profit and wealth. With two weeks left prior to the election neither political party has a plan to address racial injustice for Black America. What would seem simple to most Americans appears to be as insignificant to Congress as millions of Americans on the brink of homelessness. The political class deeply entrenched in Washington DC has no master but one – Corporate America.  The past few weeks spent in the nation’s capital has demonstrated that the US Congress has no capacity to function on behalf of the American people. Millions have protested racial injustice on the streets for months – no national legislation has been enacted to address their concerns. Tens of millions of American families are on the brink of foreclosure or eviction from their homes – no economic relief package is forthcoming from Congress. The individual congressional members up for re-election are very focused on their own political survival. The others are maneuvering to better position themselves for the outcome of the election. This is happening against the backdrop of millions of people going to bed hungry and cowering in fear of eviction or foreclosure in every community in America. The immorality of the elected leaders of our government is breathtaking. The billions of dollars being spent on advertising campaigns telling us that “this is the most important election of our generation” ignores the fact that the basic needs of millions of citizens is not being addressed by those already elected to protect and serve the people. See, I do not buy what they are selling: My future and my very existence is dependent upon their benevolence and charity as elected officials. As a Black American, my future and my very existence has always been dependent on my ability to overcome obstacles and use a mixture of wit, genius, and hard work to take full advantage of any opportunity that appears. Don’t buy the lie that the politicians and news media want you to believe – That things will change once the election is over. The rent that’s due today will still be due after November 3. The job you don’t have still won’t be there after November 3. The Coronavirus waiting to kill you will still be out there after November 3 and there’s not a damn thing that they will have done for you to make your life better or safer. The issue in American, rural or urban, is that there is no loyalty to anyone or any institution. The only significant element that is honored is money. If you have money, you are protected. If you don’t have money, you are vulnerable to those stronger and with more resources than you. Corporate American wants to keep you working so you can feed their money machine. All of us that cannot seem to get ahead no matter how hard we work, no matter how many degrees you have, no matter how morally righteous you conduct your life, we all need to look right now and see who is benefiting in the current environment. The largest corporations, the wealthiest individuals and the political elite have all seen their fortunes increase.
Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing improper about prosperity. The question of immorality comes in when we know people are suffering in almost every corner of the nation and there is no political will on the part of those that have benefited the most from the current system to do something definitive to address the suffering and death. If Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Michael Bloomberg, Steve Ballmer, Jim & Alice & Rob Walton, Charles & Julia Koch, Jonathan Gray, Tom Rutledge, Joseph Ianniello, James Dimon, James Gorman, Lloyd Blankfein and Michael Corbat all held a “Summit to Save America”, we would not see the suffering in the country that we have witnessed so far this year not to mention what is to come over the next six to twelve months. Fires, hurricanes and floods, earthquakes in unusual places, and a Coronavirus pandemic that is threatening to consume the nation. Perhaps there is a link between these events and the full throttle immorality present at the highest levels of the so called leaders and elite of the nation.  Current Status As the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic in America becomes entrenched, the attention to reparations for slavery will increase. The House of Representatives bill, HR40 Reparations Remedy bill, is a good start. It has been presented in congress every session since it was first introduced by John Conyers in 1989. It has never been taken up for consideration in the past 30 years. In my opinion, there will never be serious consideration of HR40 or reparations for slavery and US government complicity in the development of harmful policies and practices that negatively impacted Black people since the post-civil war era. I believe the primary reason for this is the link and control of Congress by the wealthiest corporations in America. These corporations and their precursor companies have benefited for centuries from the free labor of Black men and women. Many of them continue to benefit from the significantly reduced cost of labor of prisoners, most of whom are Black. Every credible historical review has revealed these facts to the American public and the world. This has not resulted in any damage to the fortunes of these corporations. They will not support and will likely lobby against reparations for slavery and its legacy in America. The only path to obtaining reparations is to change public sentiment on the topic or to make it economically painful for the corporations and the federal government to continue to oppose reparations. If the gridlock and opposition that occurred with the move to take down confederate monuments is any indication, we will be waiting an indeterminant time for public sentiment to change enough for successful passage of legislation. I believe the more expedient path is to create an economic incentive for American corporations and the federal government to support the payment of reparations. This choice will have its own repercussions depending on the tactics used. Pressuring corporate business entities will also effectively pressure the federal government. The use of multiple approaches will be most fruitful depending on the nature of the business and its mode of operation.
Acts of civil disobedience can be carried out by independent action teams organized at the local level. There must be actions teams in every 50 to 100 square mile sections of the contiguous United States. If one agrees with this approach of targeted offensive acts of civil disobedience meant to disrupt normal operations of the top 700 corporations in the nation, the next step is how to facilitate an active program. This will require a significant effort of all Black Americans and those aligned with our goal for reparations that include direct payments to the descendants of slaves.  Methodology The technical activities required to implement a “reparations now” approach must be completely independent from any political or action components of the movement. This will allow for the system development, data acquisition, and publishing of location information to be facilitated without legal entanglements. The use of a geographical information system (GIS) that can publish maps of thousands of locations across the nation can be developed by a small team of mathematicians, computer, social, and economic scientists. This technology is readily available. The key component is the database. Database information developed from publicly available resources, corporate data reports, and human intelligence will form the basis of the GIS system. An artificial intelligence component would be required to determine the politically strategic priorities based on the business, economic and governmental contemporary news gathered from social media and mainstream sources. The goal would be to develop an app that would publish news alerts and frequently updated mapping of locations that are most valuable and available for possible advocacy for reparations. Think “Google Maps” for reparations advocacy and civil disobedience.   Timeline
This vision of a “bottom up” approach is something that we as Black Americans can do for ourselves to bring attention and pressure to a long overdue measure of justice for slavery and its legacy. The launching of an effort like this will depend on a number of variables: funding, talent recruitment, overall support and engagement of the Black community, legal advice and disposition, as well as support and promotion of the project by notable Black personalities. America is all about the money. If we can’t get justice and we can’t get paid for the free labor and economic oppression over centuries, then let’s work to stop those at the top from getting paid. Let’s protest and disrupt operations. This pressure will provide leverage for those negotiating for reparations.  #HungerStrikeForRacialJustice – Day 35: I am not advocating for any action whatsoever. I am asking myself and Black folks the question: Why Shouldn’t Black People Shoot Police? The simple, straightforward answer is: No one should shoot at police officers because its illegal and an afront to the rule of law. The situation we find ourselves in is not a simple one. Here are some of the basics:
 21st century bread line in the nation's capitol -Washington DC October 9, 2020 So when you layer on the other facts of our situation, the intensity and sense of urgency for racial justice in Black communities across the nation is rational.
This reality is exactly why I have engaged in my hunger strike for racial justice. I see an increasing likelihood that as the pandemic continues and the disparities outlined here intensify, we will see direct attacks on police in urban and suburban regions of the country. In this context my question becomes relevant.  Black Panther Party 1971 At some point, if my prediction is accurate, the political leaders both locally and nationally will have to answer my question beyond the simple answer I provided at the beginning of this blog post. I do not have an answer. See, I wonder what I might do if confronted by police for a simple traffic stop or considered a suspect in a criminal investigation of which I have no knowledge.
If I am confronted in my home without warning by police agents executing an erroneous no knock search warrant, what should I do? Remain calm knowing that I am innocent of any crime or come out shooting knowing that I could be killed inadvertently? Black men and women who are law abiding citizens are now being forced to make a judgement call to live or die when they encounter the police. The longer we go on without national legislation addressing obvious racial injustice in the face of mass, nationwide protests, the greater the likelihood we will have anarchy and random violence directed at police in the Black community. It can occur whether it’s in urban or suburban areas. Without national leadership on this issue each of us will have to make a life or death decision in a split second. Sound familiar? Its exactly what each police officer must do when they encounter us, the presumed criminals.  Jonathan Price, killed October 3, 2020, Wolfe City, Texas I am into the second half of my hunger strike for racial justice. A lot has happened since September 4 when I started this effort. To keep everyone up to date, the goals of the hunger strike is to get the US Congress to act prior to the election to enact:
I have had press releases publicizing this effort, contacted congressional leadership, and chronicled my journey on the Boom Publishing and Broadcasting YouTube Channel. I am energized by my efforts to bring attention to the need for the Black community to get relief from the over policing that frequently results in injury and death. Today it is obvious that there will be no initiative in congress to take up the measures that I am advocating for. Moreover, there is no national initiative to get the Coronavirus under control, provide economic relief or stimulus to those being crushed by its effects, or address the national protests for social/racial justice. We currently have a Coronavirus outbreak in the Whitehouse, Senate, and Pentagon. Our national government leadership is in disarray and the presidential election is being held in four weeks. Oh, but wait, there has been another murder of an unarmed Black man by the police. This time it’s in a small town, Wolfe City, Texas. Jonathan Price was shot dead by Officer Shaun Lucas. Mr. Price was 31 years old and attempting to break up a fight between a man and a woman at a gas station in downtown Wolfe City. Mr. Price, with his hands raised, refused to go with Officer Lucas and turned to walk away. Officer Lucas tased Mr. Price and while Mr. Price’s body was convulsing from the electric shock of the taser, he was shot to death by Officer Lucas.  Officer Shaun Lucas, Wolfe City, Texas. Fired shots that killed Jonathan Price. Black America, lets recap the past six months. There has been a global plague named Covid-19 that has disproportionally impacted the Black community resulting in thousands of deaths of Black Americans. Due to measures to contain the virus, millions of Americans have become unemployed. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment rate among Blacks is 12.1% compared to 7.0% for whites. Many of the jobs lost thus far due to Covid-19 may never return. Food insecurity has increased significantly. While there is no current data published by the US, we know that in 2019, 19.1% of Black households were in this category. Overall, the country is in an economic recession and the Black community is in an economic depression. Oh, but wait, we continue to be disproportionately killed by police and incarcerated at a population rate fives that of whites. We must organize a process that impacts the commerce of the largest corporations in America. While there are aspects to this picture of Black America that are out of our control, what we do about it now is in our control. We have all learned over the past six months that American runs on money. When large companies and wealthy individuals saw how much money they were losing, the country opened up too early and more people died. Despite the danger, the average person was forced to go out to work. Our money and the prospect of more money is disappearing. We must make corporate America feel the impact that we are feeling. This can be done in a non-violent, offensive way to get changes made for the benefit of Black America. I have a plan and methodology that can accomplish this goal. I will be sharing this process during the rest of my hunger strike for racial justice. The main ingredient is information. Information that current and former employees of these large corporations possess. It doesn’t matter what your role was, custodian or vice president. I am not asking anyone to do anything to jeopardize their employment or do anything illegal. Contact me using the contact page on this site or at Einstein.pluto@gmail.com if you are a current or former employee of one of the top 400 corporations:      What a lovely fall day. The leaves are starting to change and the weather in the mid-Atlantic region is beautiful. It was a crying shame to have to come in last night and sit through the sad display that was the presidential debate. It’s the mild mannered Joe “I got a plan to make it all better” Biden versus Donald “I don’t give a dam about anything but myself” Trump. As Americans, we probably looked like a bunch of ignorant chumps to the rest of the world. We deserved all the accolades and riches we got by being the victors in the last world war. Last night we looked like exactly who we are, a nation that is a little over 200 years old, filled with a lot of bravado, crass, and folks with no class. Oh my, how the mighty have fallen…  Back to the subject at hand, President Trump. As a Black man, what I saw was a microcosm of what is left of the white majority in our country. The last remnants of the “Greatest Generation” with their progeny horrified and aghast at what they witnessed. The leader of the “free world” spewing venom, lies and verbal bullying in a ninety minute grown man tirade. The entire world got a snap shot of what it must be like to work in the White House with Donald Trump. When he is in a frenzy, he must be impossible to be around let alone help manage his schedule. This is the kind of thing that the family tries to shield the relatives from out of town from during the holidays. Nobody wants to witness it and no one wants to own up that this is their life every day of the year.
Seriously. I saw a person that has been handed everything his entire life. Told that he was the best and greatest and he better not let anyone see or even think that he is not. Here is a man that never had to lift a finger to live an entitled lifestyle. His dad did it for him early on. His dad groomed him to hate and to believe that money is everything. Where people don’t matter. Only thing that matters is money and people’s judgement of you. People need to be afraid of you. That there is a hierarchy. You could see it all. You could see it all from his behavior over the past 4 years and from the debate last night. If you want to call it a debate. With him talking over everybody no matter what they had to say or who they are. He was never going to stop making his point. The only thing that mattered was what he thought and what he had to say. This is who he has been his entire life. There is not a scenario in which he can loose or come out on the short end and survive. If he does fail or loose, he will lie and say it didn’t actually happen. That somehow he was cheated or scammed. This is a person who is dangerous to himself and everyone around him. When you pull back and look at him he is a pathetic and despicable individual. Trump as President is a referendum on America. It’s a referendum on where we are as a society. White folks were so desperate after eight years of Barack Obama, that they would do anything to maintain what they see as their entitlement – their white privilege and white supremacy - in America. That they would gamble everything and hire a pathetic, despicable person as Donald Trump to protect it. America knows the demographic shifts underway. They know that within twenty years they will be the minority. That soon the majority will be the “Others” as they see us. This is why we see the attacks on immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America. This is why we see the systematic control on the Black community being increased. The lack of real institutional empathy. The plan is to hold on to their birthright come hell or high water. Any sympathizing white person can go straight to hell with the Others (as they consider people of color). This was crystalized during the debate. It’s why Trump could never disavow the militias and far right groups. They see them as the alternative of last resort. You know, Break Glass and use only in Extreme Emergency. We must remember the history of America. The KKK and groups like them were closely aligned with the police force at the local level. What we are witnessing now is the use of federal agents to arrest and prosecute protesters when the local police won’t. We also see coordination and collaboration of white militia groups and local as well as federal police agents. This is a new and dangerous dynamic for Black Americans. When I saw the debate topic – Race and Violence in Cities – I thought, here’s another dog whistle trying to couple Black folks with violence and crime. It would appear that Chris Wallace, the moderator, wanted to get Biden on the record as being soft on crime. But the outcome was flipped around. If you didn’t, now we know that the unvarnished Trump is a racist and a white supremacist. Anyone with a shred of morality cannot deny who Donald Trump really is. His twisted personality was on display for all to see during the debate. Truth is, as hard as it was to watch, that was a good thing. |
The Angry ManWe all know an angry man. It seems he always speaks with passion even when the words appear Archives
November 2020
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