Dear friends,
Considering the fact that the Olympic Games, to be held in China, are only a few weeks away, perhaps, it is instructive for us to pay attention to some of our proud and distinguished athletes. Moreover, with all of the talk about "patriotism" this presidential election year, what about cheering for our fellow citizens who work so hard at revealing both their physical and intellectul powers to us through sports? At the link below, legendary LA Times columnist Sandy Banks makes us aware of an athlete, who represents our nation, to whom we should pay close attention...
Cheers!!!
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-banks19-2008jul19,0,5611847.column
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Saturday, July 19, 2008
Pledging Allegiance to Immigrants' Citizenry
Dear friends,
The link below is to a piece by a young man, Damon Williams, who I hold in deep regard. In my own biased opinion, he is a rising star in journalism. That is quite refreshing, because, except for female African American journalists/writers (some of whom have been featured on this blog), at least to me, especially since the Eighties, the overwhelming proponderance of their male countrerparts, although the latter often have had a longer history of being employed in the field of journalism, spend far too much of their time being in deference to both the views and wishes of their publishers and editors, while, simultaneously, engaging in intellectual acrobatics, to even recognize truth, much less share it with others. And there is such a thing (i.e., truth). After all, as myself and others have been insisting for decades, "If there is no such a thing as truth, then why do so many benefit by hiding it?"...
To be sure, although capitalism has contributed tremendously to our country's development in many areas, in its present "advanced" state, our economic system is having trouble insuring that all of our fellow citizens even have food and housing. That is, whereas USA capitalism has created great amounts of food and, thus, a large population, it has not been able to provide sufficient resources for a good many of its citizens.
Some of our fellows attribute the lack of the aforementioned resources of food, and so forth, for all of our citizenry to "immigrants" acquiring too great a share of the nation's income. However, the facts prove differently. The truth is: Most low income people in this country are European Americans or so-called “whites”; therefore, it is they (said EuropeanAmericans) who receive the largest share of benefits from government programs. Consequently, the argument that Caribbeans, Latinos, Asians, Africans, or other non-European groups are taking anything away from "native" citizens is a complete fabrication, if not s lie.
At any rate, this particular message that Damon is sharing is quite personal. It is, in fact, about his wife, Francina, gaining full American citizenship. Because she comes from Barbados, the same island from which, almost a century ago, my maternal grandparents (the only grandparents who I ever knew) emigrated to the US as adults (they both lived well into their Nineties), I have some personal reasons myself for sharing this piece with you.
Of course, whenever people leave their homes of origin there are always - or, at least, usually - feelings of guilt. Many people, like my grandparents, never return to their former homelands -not even to visit. And so begins the process of self-alienation that is so ingrained in citizens of this largely immigrant - whether voluntary or forced, "advanced" nation.
One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080719_New_American__A_woman_s_path_to_citizenship.html?adString=pdn.news/local;!category=local;&randomOrd=071908071819
Read full post
The link below is to a piece by a young man, Damon Williams, who I hold in deep regard. In my own biased opinion, he is a rising star in journalism. That is quite refreshing, because, except for female African American journalists/writers (some of whom have been featured on this blog), at least to me, especially since the Eighties, the overwhelming proponderance of their male countrerparts, although the latter often have had a longer history of being employed in the field of journalism, spend far too much of their time being in deference to both the views and wishes of their publishers and editors, while, simultaneously, engaging in intellectual acrobatics, to even recognize truth, much less share it with others. And there is such a thing (i.e., truth). After all, as myself and others have been insisting for decades, "If there is no such a thing as truth, then why do so many benefit by hiding it?"...
To be sure, although capitalism has contributed tremendously to our country's development in many areas, in its present "advanced" state, our economic system is having trouble insuring that all of our fellow citizens even have food and housing. That is, whereas USA capitalism has created great amounts of food and, thus, a large population, it has not been able to provide sufficient resources for a good many of its citizens.
Some of our fellows attribute the lack of the aforementioned resources of food, and so forth, for all of our citizenry to "immigrants" acquiring too great a share of the nation's income. However, the facts prove differently. The truth is: Most low income people in this country are European Americans or so-called “whites”; therefore, it is they (said EuropeanAmericans) who receive the largest share of benefits from government programs. Consequently, the argument that Caribbeans, Latinos, Asians, Africans, or other non-European groups are taking anything away from "native" citizens is a complete fabrication, if not s lie.
At any rate, this particular message that Damon is sharing is quite personal. It is, in fact, about his wife, Francina, gaining full American citizenship. Because she comes from Barbados, the same island from which, almost a century ago, my maternal grandparents (the only grandparents who I ever knew) emigrated to the US as adults (they both lived well into their Nineties), I have some personal reasons myself for sharing this piece with you.
Of course, whenever people leave their homes of origin there are always - or, at least, usually - feelings of guilt. Many people, like my grandparents, never return to their former homelands -not even to visit. And so begins the process of self-alienation that is so ingrained in citizens of this largely immigrant - whether voluntary or forced, "advanced" nation.
One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080719_New_American__A_woman_s_path_to_citizenship.html?adString=pdn.news/local;!category=local;&randomOrd=071908071819
Read full post
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
About what is Senator Obama's plan for leaving Iraq?
Dear friends,
Yesterday (7/14) the New York Times had an Op-ed by Senator Barack Obama where he made his case for the United States military leaving Iraq. First of all, personally, I am still not sure of what the purpose of the US being there is. Have thousands of American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people, let alone the thousands more crippled on both sides, been used as a means to an end to enhance power and profits for various governments and religious institutions (like the Muslim sects at war there)? How is any war going to benefit either American or Iraqi citizens, much less the rest of the world? And what will the war with Afghanistan - or, if included, Iran - do for everyday people here and abroad? Again, if the people are simply being used as means to ends, then it seems, at least to me, that the ends are greater wealth for a few and more power and prestige for institutions like governmental and religious ones - at the expense of people. Please think about it.
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post
Yesterday (7/14) the New York Times had an Op-ed by Senator Barack Obama where he made his case for the United States military leaving Iraq. First of all, personally, I am still not sure of what the purpose of the US being there is. Have thousands of American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people, let alone the thousands more crippled on both sides, been used as a means to an end to enhance power and profits for various governments and religious institutions (like the Muslim sects at war there)? How is any war going to benefit either American or Iraqi citizens, much less the rest of the world? And what will the war with Afghanistan - or, if included, Iran - do for everyday people here and abroad? Again, if the people are simply being used as means to ends, then it seems, at least to me, that the ends are greater wealth for a few and more power and prestige for institutions like governmental and religious ones - at the expense of people. Please think about it.
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post
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