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COMMENTARY: Where is There Peace When There’s So Much War in 2022?
NNPA NEWSWIRE — In 2022, Russia has decimated Ukraine and left 40 million people without water, food, heat, and a place to sleep. As Ukraine and Russia starts its second month of war or military action, thousands are crying, and many are dying. There is no plausible reason for the war, but insanity also does not have a reason.
The post COMMENTARY: Where is There Peace When There’s So Much War in 2022? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Roger Caldwell, NNPA Newswire Contributor
“Until the philosophy, which holds one race superior, and another inferior, is finally and permanently discredited, and abandoned, everywhere is war. Until there is no longer first class or second-class citizens of any nation. Until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance, than the color of his eyes, I’ve got to say war,” sings Bob Marley.
In 2022, Russia has decimated Ukraine and left 40 million people without water, food, heat, and a place to sleep. As Ukraine and Russia starts its second month of war or military action, thousands are crying, and many are dying. There is no plausible reason for the war, but insanity also does not have a reason.
With Russia being a nuclear power no one can predict what President Putin is going to do in the short-run or long-term. When you look around the planet there are different reasons for military conflicts but again people are dying. In many of these conflicts they have gone on for two and three decades and they are still fighting.
There are wars in the east, there are wars in the west, there are wars down south and there are wars up in the north. There are rumors of war and who really wins?
Ukraine is predicting that they are winning the war but in a month 70% to 80% of the homes businesses and infrastructure have been destroyed. Therefore, when the war is over there will be nothing to come home to because everything is destroyed. In many of these conflicts around the globe people keep fighting and there is no endgame.
The majority of the reasons for these conflicts are civil wars, drug wars, ethnic violence, and terrorist insurgency. As many of these conflicts have no end in sight, “Is there a world body that has the credibility to bring these wars to an end.”
Some of these military conflicts around the world are as follows:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Ethiopia
- Chad
- Colombia
- DR Congo
- Yemen
- Iraq
- Libya
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Russia
- Ukraine
Many of the superpowers are always at war, because they supply the weapons to keep the different countries fighting. Everywhere and everyone are at war.
All over the planet especially in Africa, there are droughts and floods causing a sharp drop in crop production in China, Russia, the United States, and other countries. Ukraine is one of the largest producers of wheat in the world, and at this point they are at war. Economic sanctions against Russia are hurting the food supply chain in exports of fertilizers and food.
Fertilizer is the start of global food production chain, so the world depends on Russia. With the war in Ukraine, and the war in the Black Sea is blocking ship movements and food exports are being destroyed.
Farmers are reporting 300% increase in their cost, and the cost of production of food will be passed on to the consumer. Food scarcity and food inflation will be the reason in the summer why many of the food shelves in grocery stores will be empty.
The only situation that can change the destruction on the planet is peace. The problem with war all over the planet is nothing gets done, because everyone is destroying instead of building.
“Until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all’ without regard to race, I’ll say war,” sings Bob Marley. There is war in the east, war in the west, war up north, and war down south.
The post COMMENTARY: Where is There Peace When There’s So Much War in 2022? first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.
Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.
Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”
Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.
“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”
The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.
Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.
President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.
Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.
Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.
Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.
Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.
Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.
The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.
In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.
The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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