Aftermath

Her Right To Choose. Voters have spoken!

I put my clock back recently in connection with daylight saving time. But time seems to pass more quickly nevertheless. This summer is behind us. Similarly, Halloween was here, and now it's over, and we knock on the door of Thanksgiving, just to be followed by the Christmas holidays. Furthermore, the 2022 midterm elections, after much anticipation, have finally come to an end. I voted through the mail, and I hope you voted and encouraged your friends and neighbors to vote like I did. I have been an active participant in ensuring that I play my small role and that I play a role in democracy. I can honestly say that I am relieved after listening and watching for the election results in my home state, which was pretty much a foregone conclusion across our nation. I have concluded that American voters, and I count myself as one, are fed up and tired of the last six years of MAGA republican extremism and direct threats to democracy with flirtatious overtures towards fascism and embracing authoritarian rulers around the world. The 2022 midterms clearly state that democracy still rules the day in America and remains significant enough to fight for and vote. The nation remains mostly tribal camps of blue and red and a bit of shade between them. While many pundits on the right claimed Americans didn't care about democracy and only worried about rising inflation and kitchen-table economics, American voters resoundingly said democracy and abortion rights were just as important as the economy.

Furthermore, an argument could be made that without a social infrastructure to uplift and aid all Americans and provide for the stability of life and liberty that's important for all Americans, the economy could no more flourish than protect the earth from climate change. These questions were in the minds of voters and, to a certain extent, ignored by republicans and extremists, preferring the more right-wing violence of election denial and voter suppression. The Republicans attacked democracy, but the American electorate responded with their votes. Now that the election is over, where do we go from here?

What's next?

The 2022 midterm elections clarified what lies ahead. I believe there is a Clear and legitimate mandate for continuing the fight for reproductive rights, continuing the battle for the freedom to vote, and fighting extremism at every battlefront, wherever that may be local, state, or national.

The overturn of Roe vs. Wade by the Supreme Court in June was the worst kept secret and most expected decision delivered by a right-wing appointed court selected to do just that – take away the rights of millions of Americans. We need to make progress on women's reproductive freedom. Against the origin of Planned Parenthood and the stain and controversy of its founders Margret Sanger, abortion remains 99% safe, unlike conservative right-wing representations. Moreover, black conservatives parroted their republican compatriots, pushing Sanger's eugenic connection but cowardly playing with black extermination by the end of birth. They also falsely distorted and distorted the facts to support their theory by stating that there are more family planning clinics in Black communities. Herman Cain and Ben Carson echoed this idea as black Conservatives. However, "The majority of the nation's abortion providers are in predominantly white neighborhoods, according to a Guttmacher Institute analysis," according to the Washington Post. Ms. Sanger had some abhorrent views on race, but so did the Republican Party and their Party leader. Historical birth control and Sanger's involvement do not mean the current black female population seeking reproductive assistance is an "extermination project," and denying any woman her right to choose for herself is indefensible. Ben Carson and the Conservatives are vehemently attacking abortions, but saying and doing little to combat the disproportionate lack of access to fresh vegetables, organic products and healthy foods in black neighbourhoods. Women should be entitled to determine their bodily reproduction. As clinics close and health centers reduce the amount of available care, many women, especially in poor areas, are increasingly vulnerable to disease and the consequences of inadequate treatment. Many liquor stores, payday loan offices and bonding agents are available in these same communities, but they never seem to mind.

Voting Rights

Voting is a personal matter. I remember reading and learning about civic rights in the social sciences at school and I couldn't wait to vote. Yes, they used to teach these subjects in school, but now replaced with Euro-Centric education. Let us step back for a moment. In 2013, the United States Supreme Court, in a narrow majority decision, struck democracy right in the face. The court in 2013 ruled 5-4 against the 1965 Voting Rights Act in Shelby County, Alabama vs. Holder provision which protects minorities' right to vote. Therefore, why oppose these protections to enable states to implement voter suppression strategies? They wouldn't go out of their way to stop the vote if your vote didn't matter. "Am I right?" A couple of points. First, Mitch McConnell's obstructionist strategy worked during President Obama's presidency to secure an even greater right-wing majority at the U.S. highest court, resulting in the annulment of Roe v. Wade. Second, the 2016 Republican administration and senate majority pushed conservative federal judges through Senate confirmation hearings. Republican state governors deployed voter suppression laws using the fictitious "Big Lie" of stolen election rhetoric to not so quietly implement their conservative strategy to undo or repeal fundamental domestic rights such as voting and abortion. Republican state assemblies using arbitrary delineation have rewritten majority and minority black districts to remove representation from political government. Therefore, take reduced voting rights, remove those same rights, and carve out voting districts to reduce and isolate political power to an element of non-competition. Even if you are a diehard dipped in Red Republican and believe all Democrats are evil incarnate, can you imagine for a second if, say, Alabama or Georgia was redrawn to have the population underrepresented in state assembly? Also, when you went to vote, you discovered that the state had purged you and your eligible family members from voters lists without notice. Or, as in Houston, Texas, polling stations were disbanded and made unavailable for large parts of your community so as not to include provisions for older voters. Yes, insane, isn't it? But that is happening throughout Republican states in black communities throughout Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and other states. But the Conservatives proudly pound their chest and pointed to voter turnout to show that there is nothing like voter suppression, despite their active laws. Long lines at polls where it's against the law to hand water is not democracy or proof! This behavior is suppression and shows the system is broken but serves the purpose. It is like saying in Jackson, Mississippi, or Flint, Michigan, that there is no water problem. You can turn on your tap and the water ends up coming out. But what, the water is brown and toxic? Is that all right? We need to pass bills from Congress such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill.

In the extreme or not in the extreme - is this the question?

Elon Musk recently paid a royal ransom to the Twitter social networking platform. It has a declared value of $44 billion. Just after Twitter was bought, extremists inundated Twitter with racial epithets and memes. Extremist views are not new or shocking in the post-2016 Republican MAGA world. On the contrary, the Twitter extremist explosion is another mundane, expected outcome of someone like Elon Musk, who himself harbors questionable world views and opinions. (l don't have a Tesla). Mass murders have used the "Great Replacement Theory" conspiracy touted in the national media by #1 right-wing celebrity Tucker Carlson on Fox News. This theory theorizes that whites, in the majority, according to the census, are replaced by Democrats in the government who are mainly white. In addition, Republicans claim Democrats have allowed an "open border," though Republicans have never entirely built a border wall opting instead of "swindling, swindling, stealing" donors. They also didn't take any concrete steps towards any lasting contributing immigration improvement policies, which we still need; by the way, they tried to ban Muslims to fix immigration. Radicalization through social media, podcasts, mainstream, right-wing, YouTube, radio, and popular socialization threatens every minimum of democratic truths or beliefs, even in fundamental human well-being. Antisemitism and black racism are both on the rise and sometimes involve both. For example, former billionaire Kanye West and NBA star Kyrie Irving were attacked for antisemitism, and both are black. I think evil is evil. The racial issue is complicated at the individual level as well as at the tribal level of the national group. Moving around and within different groups, economic cleavages, racial barriers and religious beliefs often confuse an individual's search for space. But here is a common truth: no group, race, religion, belief or otherwise rules over another. Political extremism causes immense problems for our nation. Democratic agenda policies like affordable, student loan debt relief, infrastructure investment, climate and environmental protection and equal protection for justice and voting benefits ALL Americans. Say I'm wrong! Meanwhile, Republicans offer nothing but an opposition agenda and di visionary agenda with pro gun rights (assault rifles in hands of mass murderers), wealth tax cuts, closed borders, voter suppression and restrictive education to cover their past sins like the Tulsa Massacre. So you tell me. Policies for a 1/3 of the nation or policies for ALL PEOPLE!

Majorie Taylor Greene called for Senator Nancy Pelosi to be executed! On January 6, 2021, insurgents attacked the U.S. Capitols by threatening government officials on orders from the U.S. President. Cries for The Vice President to be hanged came from insurrectionists, and many, encouraged by extremist views, sought to due harm while desecrating the US Capitol. Recently, Sen Nancy Pelosi's husband was attacked by an extremist who published numerous online diatribes, prefiguring his dark beliefs. Fortunately, Mr. Paul Pelosi is alive. We have a long way to go to fight extremism. President Biden established the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) to replace its predecessor's counterterrorism plan. Better administration is required in this regard. The Department of Justice has to account for the events of January 6 and all the perpetrators, including the former president. After all, none of us are above the law.

Those are just a couple of things! I will continue to write about the matters and provide an independent and honest perspective. Let's work on small ways to bring about meaningful change.