EDITORIAL A Revival of God Consciousness

News:

Office: (713) 692-1892

Another Day Another Shooting

It seems as if gun violence has become the norm. Another day passes and another shooting occurs. Nowhere seems safe, and no one seems to be doing much about it. It’s like shootings have now become the “norm” and are a part of our everyday life. Just the other day, there was a shooting at Michigan State University where three people died and ve people were injured before the gunman took his own life.

For this year thus far, there have been 71 mass shootings nationwide. We are only in the second month of the year, and sadly, more shootings will occur before we reach the end of the year. What will it take to get this under control? How do we prevent these situations from occurring? It is troubling to think that at any moment, someone can come in, no matter where you are (school, church, movies, work, etc.), and just open re and kill innocent people. I personally think it begins with holding our politicians accountable. In Texas, we are known to be a state that carries guns, and it doesn’t help that Governor Abbott took away any requirements that were needed to carry a gun, like a license, and training, and implemented the open carry law. I understand the importance of protecting yourself, but some people are not responsible enough to own a gun, and some should simply not have one. e measures that were put in place to carry a gun, were put in place for a reason.

It is sad, but I think some political decisions are not made based on protecting the people, but more of a “self-agenda” to get elected and stay elected. But with guns, this comes at the expense of peoples’ lives, and this sadly includes children. We will never forget the Uvalde school shooting that le 19 children and two teachers dead. Innocent lives that shouldn’t have been taken. More is needed and more needs to be done so we can protect our families and our communities.

Bobby Mills, Phd

Conservatism Has Become Racism

ere is always calm before the storm. is is the record conservatism has become against all things that are of God and against democracy. erefore, in the 21st century conservatism has turned inward against itself, God, family, and country. Self is the enemy. What a shame! Christian Right Evangelicals, e GOP, White Nationalists, Fox “Fake” News, and some spiritually misguided Blacks and other minorities God has admonished US concerning being angry with our neighbors and brothers, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4: 25-26). America, this is the spiritual beginning of the reconciliation process, and bringing us in to fellowship with God and one another. en and only then, can we honestly discuss the (1619) Project. Hence, we can honestly a rm that all things work together for good for those who love God, and are called for his purpose (truth). e Golden Rule. e House Bill 1020 did pass and has now moved to the Senate. According to Mississippi Today, this is what the bill looks like. With House Bill 1020, the White chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court would appoint two judges to oversee a new district within the city—one that includes all the city’s majority White neighborhoods, among other areas. The white state attorney general would appoint four prosecutors, a court clerk, and four public defenders for the new district. The White state public safety commissioner would oversee an expanded Capitol Police force, run currently by a White chief. The appointments by state officials would occur in lieu of judges and prosecutors being elected by the local residents of Jackson and Hinds County—as is the case in every other municipality and county in the state. How do you have an entire system run by White people, when the city is majority Black? ere are several issues with this. First, you are declaring that a Black city can’t take care of itself and must be saved by Whites. Secondly, you have no representation that actually looks like the community. erefore, the Black voice is not heard and the Black vote has been eliminated. irdly, you are not improving the city by doing this, but instead, are making matters worse and taking this city and demolishing the progress they’ve made to live in a city that cares about the people who live there. e Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, is 39 year old Chokwe Antar Lumumba, who called this practice “plantation politics.” If you aren’t familiar with the phrase, IGI Global de ned it as, “ e understanding that institutions including higher education are based on the practice of plantation life, slavery, and slave economy, whereby operationalizing the purchase, sale, safety, and invisible exploitation of Black bodies.” Under this new system, the Black folks that live there will be the slaves controlled by the masters, who are White people. e Jackson Mayor also said that this bill reminded him of apartheid. It is the new apartheid. Apartheid occurred in South Africa from 1948 to 1994 and consisted of racial segregation under an all-White government. e majority population there was non-White South Africans. Does this sound familiar? During these times, Blacks had to be separated from Whites, they couldn’t vote or participate in politics, had to live separately, and couldn’t get involved in interracial relations. What is currently happening in Jackson is nothing new. It’s just new to those who don’t know their history.

Prairie View went through many changes before it became a part of the Texas A&M University system in 1973. Although Prairie View is a Black institution, it is controlled by White people. Dr. Simmons and the new president who will be starting soon are Black, and they hold important titles, but they do not hold the power, nor are they in control.

In Jackson, Mississippi, 82.8% of residents are Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which has made it the blackest city in America. Even though this city is majority Black, a White supermajority of the Mississippi house voted to create a separate court system and to expand the police force within Jackson. is new “system” would be completely run by White o cials.