Opinion
How deep does American racism go?
And is it possible to uproot it?
Or will it simply — endlessly — shift shape, wrap itself in the political correctness of the day and morph, say, from slavery to Jim Crow, from Jim Crow to stand-your-ground laws, gerrymandering and voter suppression?
At some point, the forces of sanity and survival must prevail and we must face this stain on the national soul with terrifying and transcendent honesty — and eliminate it. But how, oh God, how?
Every “legal” murder — by police, by private citizens — of a human being of color brings up such questions. The most recent race-entangled murder to suddenly explode across the headlines is that of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old man who was shot and killed on Feb. 23, while jogging in Brunswick, Ga. Two white men — a father (a former employee of the local District Attorney’s office) and his son — had seen him running through their neighborhood, assumed he was a criminal, grabbed their guns and stalked him down. The local DA, George Barnhill, refused to prosecute the case. No charges were filed against the two men for 74 days — until after a video of the shooting was made public.
Portia's Diner, offering an all-vegan menu -- is now OPEN for carry out, curbside and free delivery within 5 miles.
Changed hours -- Mon/Tues - CLOSED. NOW OPEN Wed -10a-3p / Thur, Fri, Sat--8a-9p (with PIZZA 4p-9p!), and Sun--10a-3p.
In order to protect our staff and customers, they are implementing the following sanitation orders per the CDC:
• Using hand sanitizer before and after every transaction
• Sanitizing cash register, stylus, counter, door handles and doors –both inside and out—and merchandiser coolers, if touched, after each customer
• Providing hand sanitizer for customers
• Adhering to, and providing, the 6 ft distance guidelines for check out and pick up
• Providing curb-side delivery and free delivery (within 5 miles) to our customers
*Per the Governor’s orders they must request that customers that have any illness related symptoms to stay home at this time. Please do not come in if you have a fever, runny nose, cough, chills or body aches or sore throat. Thanks so much!!
Against the institution of war
The United Nations has designated the 16th of May as a day devoted to Living Together in Peace. It therefore seems appropriate to mark this day by discussing the reasons why war must be eliminated as a human institution.
Science and technology are double-edged
As we start the 21st century and the new millennium, our scientific and technological civilization seems to be entering a period of crisis. Today, for the first time in history, science has given to humans the possibility of a life of comfort, free from hunger and cold, and free from the constant threat of infectious disease. At the same time, science has given us the power to destroy civilization through thermonuclear war, as well as the power to make our planet uninhabitable through pollution and overpopulation. The question of which of these alternatives we choose is a matter of life or death to ourselves and our children.
There are two brand new ways to avoid any military draft that should come along.
(I know you’re not worried about a draft, but the numbers of failed coup attempts in Venezuela and of failed attempts to start a war on Iran are both approaching the number of years of war in Afghanistan, so frustration may be building. Two candidates for U.S. President are competing in hostility toward China. Plus, military recruitment is faltering, and even corporate mainstream politicians are being brought around to the idea of making college part of a public education. So, I wouldn’t get too complacent).
Method #1: Catch coronavirus. Recover. Be banned from the U.S. military for life.
While this is a truly dumb approach, four out of five doctors do recommend getting banned from the military for their patients who tend to do whatever is not banned.
Method #2: Eliminate the draft.
“Corruption is embedded in health systems. Throughout my life—as a researcher, public health worker, and a Minister of Health—I have been able to see entrenched dishonesty and fraud. But despite being one of the most important barriers to implementing universal health coverage around the world, corruption is rarely openly discussed.” – Dr. Patricia Garcia, in her powerful Lancet journal article of November, 2019: “Corruption in Global Health: An Open Secret”
Many more questions are being raised than there are answers being discovered concerning the recent strains of coronavirus. Where and how did it originate? Was it the result of human engineering and manipulation or is it a strain that mutated naturally? What are the best tests to determine exposure and infection? Why are so many infected individuals asymptomatic? Are all elderly people equally susceptible to infection and how much do co-morbidities determine outcomes? These are just several of the important questions that still require definitive answers.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio denounced Gov. Mike DeWine’s cuts to Medicaid as Ohio continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Gov. DeWine announced that more than $200 million in state budget cuts will come from Medicaid funding for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year, while leaving the $2.7 billion rainy day fund untouched.
Statement from Iris E. Harvey, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio:
“Slashing Medicaid funding at any point in time is irresponsible and dangerous. Doing so now, while many Ohioans are reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and in need of preventive health care, is heartless. This move will disproportionately impact communities that are already medically underserved, who already stand at a greater risk of harm from COVID-19, and who depend on Medicaid to access health care. We call on Gov. DeWine and the legislature to reconsider this path.”
As a provider of health care services, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio sees over sixty thousand patients annually across its Ohio health centers, nearly 4 in 10 of whom use Medicaid.
Trump Threatens the future of human civilization
There is so much wrong with Donald Trump that one hardly knows where to start. He is a bully, braggart, narcicist, racist, mysogenist, habitual liar, and tax evader, in addition to being demonstrably ignorant. He has contempt for both domestic and international law, as well as for the US Constitution. However, it is Trump's climate change denial, withdrawal from the Paris agreement, and sponsorship of fossil fuels that pose the greatest threats to the future of humans society and the biosphere. The general support of the Republican Party for the fossil fuel industry is the reason why Prof. Noam Chomsky has called the party “the most dangerous organization in history”.
Trump's climate change denial
“He who pays the piper, calls the tune.” (Which basically means that the wealthy corporate elites and their wealthy corporate-influenced “family” foundations that own and operate the media also get to decide 1] what Big Pharma drugs and vaccines are promoted in the media, 2] what corporate propaganda gets broadcast as headline news and, incidentally, 3] what investigative journalists and whistle-blowers are censored or fired.)
“Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.” – Commonly attributed to Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini
Editor Note: to view the interactive map properly, go to original article here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/militarism-mapped/