We have come a long way on racism in America. No, racial discrimination has not been eliminated, but the public conversation has evolved to an appropriate place in labeling it. Only in the 1960s did we begin to separate racism (actions or non-actions) from prejudice (attitudes). And some of the conversations started to use the … [Read more…]
Last week the jury did the logical and correct thing and convicted police officer Derek Chauvin on manslaughter and murder in the killing of George Floyd. Many people wept tears of positive emotion and celebrated. However, there were some cautionary statements. “A measure of justice is not the same as equal justice,” said Vice President … [Read more…]
In 2020, in a long-overdue move, Virginia removed from its state capitol the busts and statues honoring Confederate generals and officials. And recently, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Charlottesville could remove the statues of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Of course, white Confederacy supporters opposed these actions. Reflecting on … [Read more…]
Contrary to the contention that Republicans have no national policy is their one consistent policy—tax cuts. They continued that policy under Trump despite the country being in what many call a second Gilded Age. The first Gilded Age occurred around the last 30 years or so of the 19th Century. It was a time of … [Read more…]
The value of March Madness television and multimedia broadcast rights covering the years 2025-2032 is $8.8 billion. Despite this tournament’s lucrative nature, with millionaire coaches yelling from the sidelines and the players risking their health—we are still in a pandemic after all—players will not profit from this deal. Despite Michigan State University announcing that their … [Read more…]
On this Easter weekend I am moved to post this article by George Keillor. Still Thinking of George Floyd, Wishing I’d Known Him By Garrison Keillor, Garrison Keillor’s Website 02 April 21 I am still thinking about George Floyd almost a year after he died with the cop’s knee on his neck because it was … [Read more…]
March Madness is here again, much to the delight of fans, including the bracket players. Still, their joy is not as great as that of the NCAA, which reaps enormous financial rewards from college basketballers’ unpaid work, most of whom are black. Fans are happy, but not nearly as delighted as the NCAA, which lost … [Read more…]
March is Women’s History Month following Black History Month in February. Many individuals and events are being celebrated—or they should be. Here I call attention to a little-known story—the story of The Wake-Robin Golf Club. This is an African American women’s golf club that this year is celebrating its 84th year. Yes, that is correct—a … [Read more…]
The recent second impeachment trial of Donald Trump shows once again the weakness of the Democrats, or at least how they continue to be played by the Republicans. McConnell and other Republican senators argued that Congress had no jurisdiction to try Trump since he was no longer in office. Therefore, they voted for acquittal even … [Read more…]
Collective bargaining is generally considered a good thing. All workers should have the opportunity to negotiate with employers to reach agreements on working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers’ compensation. However, some union contracts go beyond the terms and conditions of the workers’ employment. Police union contracts have created a system of protections for … [Read more…]