Letter from the Editors
Dear readers, Politics has split in half over the past year, and so has the role of Editor-In-Chief. There are two of us this year and we are excited to publish our first issue as a team. We hope to continue bringing the minority voice to light and being the voice of the unheard. We hope to bring some new ideas and design into play while building a bigger audience and allowing the minority voice to be heard. This election year has definitely been like no other, raising many tensions amongst minorities in America. We have seen outbursts of racial slurs, plans to build a wall, and the concept of law and order arise among many Trump supporters. Minorities have been terrorized by fellow Trump supporters here on campus. As many of us have felt the heat this year, our voices have been heard and will continue to be heard. This issue, The Great Divide exemplifies how this election has tried to tear us apart and split us in half, but we want to continue to promote unity and progression. This issue is to educate and express the importance of minorities in this election as well as to remember the first African American President and first family in The White House. We encourage political engagement to continue far after the election year is over and to be the active change in your communities, starting with a vote. Sometimes we feel small and don’t think our voices matter, but when we look at all we have accomplished we must be proud of our voices and recognize the power it holds. Our voices are also our votes. Voting is exercising your freedom to vote, a freedom that was fought for, that is a privilege, that makes all the difference. So with that, we encourage you to stay informed about the political world we live in after this election. We encourage that you be the voices to institute change in American politics and policy. And we hope to inspire you to care more about your place in this political realm. With Love, Jasanna Sevier and Joy Taylor
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Table of Contents Features & Editorials
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How To Get Away With EVERYTHING When You Are Donald Trump
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Normal Privilege: What We Have That Obama's Daughters Don't
by Mara Alonso
by Michaela Felix
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#ImWithHer: The Continuation Of Obama's Legacy
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The Never Ending Struggle Of Native Americans
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The Barack Obama Legacy
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by Joy Taylor
by Matt D. Gamble
by Martha Ugwu
Minorities And The White House
by Jasanna Sevier
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The Importance Of The Informed Vote In The Black Community
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What Makes America Great?
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Where Did All The Patriotic Citizens Go?
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The Black Vote
by Shantell Missouri
by Matthew D. Gamble
by Aaliyah Rouhlac
by Brittany Lashley
Poems 33
Beautiful Ebony by Matthew D. Gamble
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What It Means To Be American by Saad Rhyme
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Mute by Sade Ford 3
& Editorials
Features
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How to Get Away With EVERYTHING
When You Are Donald Trump ByMaraAlonso
You would have to be Donald Trump to get away with the things he has said and done, which would be considered criminal offenses and explicit hate speech if committed by an ordinary citizen. Or you could also be a very rich, white man and the feds would probably get you off the hook.
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Now, hate speech said by anyone is bad and so is crime, but when a candidate running for President of the United States of America can publicly disdain an entire country’s people, refer to sexual assault as “locker room talk,” make claims on being a successful business man and then not pay taxes for 18 years, as working class Americans and undocumented immigrants break their backs to pay their fair share taxes and feed the top 1%, all while still receive standing ovations and clapping audiences, now that is bad. Donald Trump’s train of xenophobic, misogynistic, and racist filled ideology did not just come rolling in during this presidential election, it’s been choga choga choo-ing since the 1970’s. One of Trump’s most controversial scandals occurred in 1973 when the Department of Justice sued Trump Management for having racially discriminated against black tenants by refusing to rent apartments and requiring different rental conditions. Although the lawsuit was eventually settled, with Trump stating he would no longer discriminate against future tenets, the problem with Trump’s actions was that they were bottom-line racist. It also meant that the number of people being discriminated had to large enough for a lawsuit to occur in the first place. He did not just refuse to rent one apartment to one black person, it obviously meant that enough people were refused service for a trend to have been noticed. And that - is just racist and unacceptable.
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As the presidential debates and political rallies have shown, Trump does not like immigrants and wants to get rid of the “bad hombres.” From promising to build a bigger wall between Mexico and the United States, and having Mexico pay for it, to referring to Mexican immigrants as, “people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Ironically, Trump hired 200 undocumented Polish workers to help in the construction of the Trump Tower in 1980, paying them $5 an hour and not giving them hard hats to wear as safety precautions. In 1999, undocumented models were reported to have worked for Trump although they did not have proper visas and even claimed that they were told by Trump Management to “lie on custom forms about where they intended to live.” And yet Trump continues to dehumanize undocumented immigrants as “criminals” and “illegals.” Recently, the New York Times reported that Trump did not pay taxes for 18 years after filing for a $916 million loss in 1995. Since Trump has yet to release his tax information, it is not certain if he has not paid taxes for more than 18 years. Even though he plans to lower individual tax rates across the board, what’s the point if he refuses to pay his fair share. And while Trump was busy scamming the U.S. government of almost $50 million during each of those 18 years, undocumented immigrants were and still are paying nearly $12 billion in taxes each year.
The latest scandal revolving around the Trump world is based on accusations of sexual assault. As NYMAG reported, about 22 allegations have been made against Trump, ranging from “past accusations of assault, harassment, and discrimination by women.” From the accusation of rape from ex-wife, Ivana, to multiple groping incidents and the newly revealed Access Hollywood video showing Trump bragging about sexually advancing on to women without their consent and how he could “Grab them by the pussy.” His respect for women has been entirely absent and it is surprising to see his daughters and wife continue to support his actions.. But, the biggest question comes down to, how has Donald Trump gotten away with these controversial statements and actions? One of the primary sources that has allowed Donald Trump to continue his hate filled campaign is the public reception. There are many Trump supporters in the U.S., with the number of supporters fluctuating daily, but nevertheless present. Each time Trump has said something offensive about a specific group, such as calling Mexicans criminals and rapists, advocating for a temporary ban on Muslims, to mocking a disabled reporter, instead of his supporters taking a step back to re-evaluate the spiteful ideology he is basing his campaign on, they just cheer him on. While some of Trump’s supporters will agree that the offenses he has made are hurtful in nature,
they continue to support him, even if they are friends with people in the groups being targeted, which should logically lead to their conclusion of understanding that Trump’s claims are lies and just plainly wrong. What is even more startlingly is that male Trump supporters with daughters and wives are ok with Trump sexually assaulting women, and will continue to defend him and support him. Media platforms have also given Trump the type of coverage that undermines and sugarcoats his very hateful speech to make it appear as something that is just common among politicians. The amount of screen time Trump received compared with past running mate, Bernie Sanders was 23 times as much. Media in television has made hate speech a standard because of Donald Trump. The public has become numb to the controversial things he has says, because it is has become immensely common since he began his presidential campaign. The privilege Trump has when it comes to his wealth, the color of his skin, and his presence in the elite class is another way he can get away with his bad actions. As reported by the New York Times, through the net operating loss, Trump could “cancel out an equivalent amount of taxable income from… book royalties or branding deals” and thus prevent him from having to pay taxes. His wealth allows him to sue as he wishes and being white gives him power and privilege.
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Normal Privilege: What We Have That Obama’s Daughters Don’t By Michaela Felix 8
Have you ever gone to a party just to wake up the next morning and find out some low-ball journalism website has published photos of you at a beer pong table? Or even got a job and had thousands of people questioning why you’re working in the first place? Probably not but that has been the reality for the daughters of our President’s Normal teenage activities like getting a job, going to party, or even picking a college for the Obama daughters happen to be highly publicized events in our modern media. Nothing is private when your father happens to be the leader of the free world.
but reporting more on the idea that she was taking the job away from someone who actually needed it.
Many times, the occupation of parents does not tend to be a reflection of how their children should act with the exception of few. For the children of parents in traditional leadership roles like principals or pastors, there is an almost God-like (or even Jesus-like, since they are children after all) behavioral expectation thrusted upon them that they certainly did not ask for.
At the end of the day, Sasha and Malia are still bright and beautiful young women that can not only do normal things like hold jobs and attend music festivals but also be shining examples for the younger generation.
Instead of berating Sasha Obama for choosing to get a job that will teach her responsibility and discipline versus living off of her parents salaries as most teenagers do her age, the media should have recognized how she, like thousands of other teenagers, sacrifice the time that summer should be used to relax to work. In the same sense, Malia should not have been exposed by her peers just for attending parties and going to Chicago music festival Lollapalooza. As a young adult, she should be allowed to experience all aspects of life. In her choice to take a gap year and the fact that she will be attending the school her parents call their alma mater, Harvard University, she is free to have teenage experiences.
As the first black family to live in the White House, there are also expectations and beliefs placed on the Obamas, created an unfair image for their children. When 15-yearold Sasha Obama took a job at Nancy’s, a seafood restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard the past summer, the media was not praising her for not living in the comfort of the White House and on her father’s Presidential salary 9
#ImWithHer The Continuation of Obama’s Legacy By Joy Taylor
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The iconic Hillary Clinton is more than just Bill Clintons wife and was a lot more firsts, than just First Lady. In 2001, Clinton was elected to the U.S Senate and became the first, first, lady to ever hold public office. She then became the 67th U.S secretary of state in 2009, and 7 years later is the first woman to become the presidential candidate for a major political party. When Clinton was young, she was very involved in the young republicans and in 1964 helped campaign for the republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. It wasn’t until hearing Martin Luther King Jr. speak, that Clinton was inspired to become a democrat. She was moved by the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war. We can see the foundations of Clinton’s moderate democratic values, and how how they have shifted far left for this election all thanks to Bernie Sanders. Bernie’s far left, social democratic views pushed Clinton very far left as her views now overlaps the views of President Barrack Obama. According to a quiz done by OnTheIssue.org, the ideology scores of both Clinton and Obama have shown that Hillary Clinton actually tends to lean far more liberal than President Barack Obama on issues
like individual rights, domestic issues and economic issues. President Obama seems to lean more liberal in terms of defense issues, but nonetheless, the two candidates tend to hold the same views on many issues. Many millennials have hooked themselves to the Obama Administration not only because he has been president for the past 8 years, but because he has connected well with the youth as well as the older generations. Obama’s legacy goes far beyond policy and what he did for this country, but focuses on his character and the history he has made in this country. His charismatic suave character along with his presidential qualities and intelligence has lifted many American citizens off their feet. Clinton’s sweet personality, sense of humor, and qualifications to run this country, will soon, do the same for the American people. Clinton and Obama are very much alike as they are both candidates of firsts in this country. Obama being the first African American president, and Clinton possibly being the first woman candidate for president of a major party, they are and have been setting the bar for the future of this country.
3 Times Hillary Clinton Was Denied Because She’s A Woman
Hillary Clinton was accepted to both Yale and Harvard Law schools. A friend introduced her to one of the legendary Harvard law professors saying, “This is Hillary Rodham. She’s trying to decide between us and our nearest competitor.” The professor replied, “First of all, we have no nearest competitor, and secondly, we don’t need any more women.” Hillary decided to go to Yale.
“Hillary tried to join the Marines, probably to make a political statement. The Marine recruiter rejected her on the grounds that she was “too old,” couldn’t see very well, and that she was a woman.”
“Hillary Clinton wrote to NASA as a child inquiring how to become an astronaut. NASA replied that girls could not be astronauts.”
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Celebrities That Have Endorsed Hillary Clinton -Lebron James -Magic Johnson -Kerry Washington -Lee Daniels -America Ferrera -Salma Hayek -Beyonce -Kim Kardashian -Pharrell -Uzo Aduba -Ru Paul
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Clinton plans to continue president Obama’s legacy with her efforts for a more progressive America. Her plans for Criminal Justice reform, an issue president Obama has been very passionate about in his time in office, very much continue the work the president has done. She plans to help ease the tension between police officers and communities of color by addressing the injustices and flaws within the judicial system, and plans to end the era of mass incarceration. Clinton and President Obama have very similar views on women’s rights and feminism as well. Both candidates will and have worked endlessly to close the pay gap and increase the minimum wage for women. Clinton has chosen to address campus sexual assault showing her stance on women’s issues in the realm of American politics. As Secretary of State, Clinton made women rights a central talking point of U.S Initiatives and seems to implement these values in her campaign and presidential plan. As Clinton has many flaws, and we may not appreciate the history she is about to make, we must understand the legacy. The Clintons have a very reputable status in politics and have been very progressive democrats over the last 30 years. As we get caught up and think about all the negative that has come out of this election, we must acknowledge the growth, that a woman can possibly be the next president of the United States of America, as 100 years ago we didn’t even have a voice. We must appreciate the progress and look forward to the future of this country. We must continue President Obama’s legacy and Stand With Her. Im With Her, are you?
The Never-ending Struggle of Native Americans By Matthew D. Gamble
Native Americans, America’s silenced minority are taking their rights into their own hands, for centuries they have been victims of genocide, oppression and culture erasure. Natives across the US have joined together in protest of the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline which runs through reservation territory. The pipeline is intended to be 1,100 miles long and will transport 400,000 barrels of crude oil across four states, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. However, it’s construction is both a threat to the environment and the a violation of Native American rights.
Since 2014, there was massive controversy since the announcements of the pipeline’s installation. The greatest concern is the fact that the pipeline creates the hazard of oil pollution into the Missouri River. A river in which the American Indians of western reservations get their water supply. Another factor is that the construction will call for the digging up of sacred grounds belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux. Many of these grounds hold importance because of their burial and religious uses.
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The Army Corps of Engineers had approved of the pipeline’s construction, allowing it to run through Native territory and cross under the Missouri River. And this permission for the pipeline came without the Army Corps consulting the Sioux on the matter. The disregard for Native lands and rights has resulted in a massive protest against the pipeline’s construction. Many protesters have been arrested and have been victims of police brutality.
This is not the first time that Native American rights have been ignored and denied by the federal government. Treaties that were signed between the government and Native American tribal nations have consistently been broken over centuries. There are over 500 treaties that have not been honored or recognized by the government and has resulted in much of modern day Native American poverty. In fact in 1972, an initiative called “The Trail of Broken Treaties” saw Native American and Indigenous Canadian organizations had joined together to complain to the US government for not honoring any of the signed treaties. Actions of the US government towards the Native American populations were crimes against humanity. The European colonization of the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries was marked by genocide and enslavement of the indigenous populations. Diseases brought by European colonizers also resulted in massive depopulation of the
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Native Americans who now only make up 2.7% of the total US population. In 1830, President Andrew Jackson, signed the Indian Removal Act which permitted American settlers to expand into Indian territory and forcibly relocate the Native populations by gunpoint west of the Mississippi River. The Trail of Tears which saw the displacement of 125,000 Native Americans was a direct result of the Removal Act. More acts passed by the US government have negatively affected the Native populations such as the 1862 Homestead Act. This act allowed for White settlers to invade Native land and claim territory with permission just through applying. Any act of retaliation that tribes did to protect their territory resulted in harsh punishment. In fact, 38 Minnesota Sioux men were hanged by the order of President Lincoln for an uprising in 1863. Throughout history, there have been several attempts to weaken Native Americans, one of the most nefarious attempts was extermination of the bison by White hunters. Bison served as the major food, clothing and source of shelter for Plains Indians and this attack on the species would serve as a serious blow. There were millions of bison inhabiting the United States but by 1870, bison were hunted down to the point of extinction which was an act of terror on the Plains Indians. Native Americans continued to be pushed further and further westward, and placed onto the most undesirable land which were semi-arid plains; difficult for farming and raising livestock. Other unethical acts of the US government include The Dawes Act of 1877 which resulted in Native Americans losing millions of acres of land to the federal government. Another is the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 in which the US Army’s 7th Cavalry killed 300 unarmed Lakota Indians, including women and children. This was the Army’s reaction to the Lakota’s militant resistance to White settlers who wanted access to their lands to
mine for gold. The US government allowing settlers into Lakota territory was a direct violation of the treaties that were signed with the tribe. Today, Native Americans are the most disadvantaged minority in the United States with the lowest employment rates, lowest high school graduation rates and generally have poor and unsafe living conditions. Native American reservations are impoverished and overcrowded, access to adequate healthcare, clean water and internet access are minimal at best. Cases of crime such as murder and sexual assault are also high on reservations. Also high, are rates of heart disease, diabetes, malnutrition, alcoholism, depression and suicide. Native Americans have a shorter life expectancy than the average American. Schools on Native American reservations are also in very poor condition despite the federal government’s responsibility to fund and overlook the schools. The education quality is significantly lower than non-Native American schools with Native students receiving lower marks than their White counterparts. The underfunding has resulted in a continuing decrease of high school graduation and a high drop rate that is double of the nation’s average. Poor education is one reason that Native Americans are continuing to struggle with poverty and employment. In our modern days, Native Americans are fighting for better and positive presentation in the media. Apart from the cartoonish depictions which serve as mascots for sports teams and food products and noble savage stereotypes seen in westerns, and even in modern films like Disney’s Pocahontas (1995), there remains little to no representation of modern day Natives. This has led to the erroneous belief that Native Americans no longer exist as the only depictions of them are set in the historical films.
The fight to ensure that Native American history is being taught in schools is still ongoing. At Rutgers University, the Rutgers Native American Cultural Association has successfully launched a Native American Cultural Center on campus. The RNACA also wants to secure a scholarship program from native students and more funding that will assist in the recruitment of more Native students. And even more importantly, is the Association’s desire to reinstate the Native American Studies program at Rutgers which had been dismantled years ago. The university has reinstated the program and approved the construction of the Native American Cultural Center. While their presence may be ignored by many mainstream media outlets, Native Americans are still fighting for their human rights and survival as they have done for centuries. The public misconception which mistakes them as a “vanishing race” is also false. In fact they as a group are rapidly growing in population size and do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Featured Art by Native American Artist Fritz Scholder
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The Barack Obama Legacy By Martha Ugwu
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than just being known as the first non-white president. Throughout his campaign in 2008, Obama captured the attention of millions of Americans with his “Yes We Can” slogan and optimistic messages of hope and change. This came at very crucial time in America, when the country was facing the threats of the Great Recession and the War in Iraq, among other problems. America was in dire need of change and Obama was willing to take on that responsibility. In his speech that he delivered at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Obama promised to bring innovation to major issues like economics, health care, foreign policy, education, energy and climate change. The public perception of Obama began to work in his favor, inspiring many people to believe that he might just be the candidate to shake up the status quo and lead the country in a more progressive direction. With the 2016 Presidential election weighing heavy on the minds of millions of Americans, it seems that there is little time these days to actually pause and reflect on the legacy of President Barack Obama. As the leader of our country for eight years, President Obama has made quite an impact over the over course of his presidency, whether it be for better or for worse. America is in a much different place now than it was in 2008 and a lot of that has to do with the decisions and policies that were implemented by the Obama Administration. As a country that has come so far in almost in a decade, what are the biggest takeaways that we as citizens will remember as we look towards the future? What will the historical narrative have to say about this particular time period in America? Most importantly, how will Barack Obama’s contributions as President be remembered? Will the verdict on his presidency be positive or negative? Only time will tell.
Fortunately, the president has kept his word on a lot of his promises. Despite facing many obstacles in his path, particularly Republican opponents a majority of the time, Obama still led the charge towards major reform of the country’s woes. His most notable act of reform came in the form of Obamacare, which refers to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was passed in 2010. The law would cover millions of uninsured Americans and include measures to cut the rising costs of health care. The implementation of this groundbreaking policy was a huge leap towards achieving the dream of universal health care in the United States, a dream that five former presidents failed to achieve.
Although it seems like a difficult task to do, dissecting the range and scope of Obama’s presidency is necessary. In the context of modern history, he is one of the most prominent figures living today and yet, many people do not fully understand the substance of his political stature. Undoubtedly, his defining quality in most people’s minds will always be the fact that he is the first African-American president in this nation’s history. However, there is so much more to his legacy
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time of crisis, but also added the building blocks for improvement in the future.
Obama’s proactive approach to reform extends much further, which can be seen through his other accomplishments. The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped spur economic growth and lower unemployment rates. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act introduced new regulation in the way large banks operated following the Great Recession. The bailout of American automakers General Motors and Chrysler provided relief to the ailing auto industry in 2009. The War in Iraq came to an end when the order was made for all U.S. military forces to leave the country in 2010. The Federal Student Loan Program was remodeled so that students would receive loans directly from the government, effectively excluding banks in the process and extending Pell Grant spending. The list goes on and on, proving that the Obama Administration did not just rebuild America during a
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After carefully analyzing Obama’s political résumé from the past eight years, one important question remains unanswered: what type of presidency did Obama have and how will it be remembered? In an interview done with New York Magazine, historian Stephen Walt provides some insight on the type of leader Obama was during his presidency. “As president, he showed that effective governing requires careful deliberation, discipline, and the willingness to make hard and imperfect decisions, and he let us all watch him do just that. Even when one disagreed with his choices, one knew that his acts were never impulsive or cavalier. In short, the country was in good hands, and future historians will give him full marks for that.” Walt said. In summary, Obama’s humble and transparent demeanor as President, as well as his restorative measures as the head of the executive branch, will be the details that historians will highlight about his legacy. Hopefully, the citizens of the United States will grow to remember Barack Obama beyond just his skin color, but also for his contributions to the welfare and posterity of this country.
Some of Obama's Funniest Moments: When he tweeted his summer day and night mixtapes...
When he made a joke out of Donald Trump questioning his birth certificate... "No-one is happier to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald and that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?"
When Keegan-Micheal Key was his angry translator during the 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner....
When he made this joke that same night... “Dick Cheney says I’m the worst president of his lifetime. Which is interesting, because I think Dick Cheney is the worst president of my lifetime. What a coincidence.”
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By Jasanna Sevier
How Minorities Can Win Back The White House
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Obama made history in 2008 as the United States’ first black president. Eight years ago, his poll numbers and victory over John McCain was one of the best seen since Jimmy Carter, according to Politico. He was able to get a large percentage of white men to vote for him which is very surprising since they tend to vote Republican. He had overwhelming support for black, women and minority voters which kept him ahead. Today, Obama is on his way out of the white house and his seat will once again be filled by a white president. It makes you wonder when and how another minority will be able fill the position of commander in chief. It all starts from experience (usually) and there is no denying that there is an underrepresentation of minorities in political offices. The Senate and House of Representatives both do not represent the full population of the country with their being far more white males in those positions compared to the percentage of them in the country’s population. Who Leads Us?, a project by the Women’s Donor Network, has excellent content and statistics on the underrepresentation in Congress. Why and how do we fix it? One of the main issues is that there aren’t many minorities running for the positions. With having a full time job while running for a seat, they are stretched very thin and the campaigns are too expensive to run without being fi-
nancially stable. This stops many people from running and makes it easy for people that are rich, people that don’t necessarily want to help their community but want the power, get the jobs. And with all of these rich politicians holding positions in the Senate and House, it is easy for them to block out the people that want to make a positive difference and, instead, help get their friends similar positions, diminishing the diversity that was supposed to be replicated. There is still hope for this imbalance in race, however. Most of the time, these local elections are too
small with only one person actually running, leaving voters with no choice in the matter. Although there are rich politicians blocking people for winning, it is more likely that there is no other opponent and no competition. This means that if there is a way to make is easier and cheaper to campaign, there would be an increase of people of color trying to get into government jobs and ultimately, an increase of them winning. An ideal method would be having an unbiased department in the local government control all of the campaigning and advertisements for each candidate, making it equal and low cost to potential politicians. However, an increase in taxes would be unavoidable as funds would need to come from the government instead of the individuals and their donors and that type of change is unlikely to happen overnight. Investment and adjustment are going to be needed to come up with a solution to the problem and the country should begin taking steps to getting to a more representative Congress. For the minority politicians already in Congress, they have already won the first battle. If we are ever going to get another and better Barack Obama in the oval office, we need to look at what the original did to win. Obama utilized social media like no other candidate did before and it won him the hearts of a steep majority of the young voters. Being able to connect with the youth and future leaders of the world is important for all candidates, no matter the method. For future candidates, it would be beneficial to invest in the use of media in a way that was never done before because it captures the attention and interest of young-
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er voters. Obama was the first to not only acknowledge the rise of technology, but celebrate it, thus celebrating the potential that it generates for the future. Starting from the grassroots is also something that must be a priority for any minority politician seeking the oval. Being able to win over America starts with connecting to the working and lower classes of the population. Holding small meet and greets, volunteering and traveling to small towns shows people that what matters most is the people and not the power. Focusing on trying to gain the votes of the 1% and upper class because of the pull they have gained diminishes any connects to be created by the actual majority of the country. Mimicking Obama’s amazing donation success and putting the most effort in asking for little donations like $1-$20 is a smart decision for a lower class candidate. It shows that as someone from the same economic background, they understand that money is not easily available for everyone and that a little goes a long way.
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The most important strategy for the future minority candidates is not being afraid to embrace and celebrate their culture and different cultures. Throughout his candidacy and presidency, Obama didn’t hide is nationality. It’s important to show that culture is not something that needs to be stripped down once you become a politician. It is actually a perfect opportunity to bring awareness to societies that don’t feel that they are the definition of America. During some critical racial situations, Obama did not immediately side with the collective Black America viewpoint but he did respectfully discuss situations from their perspectives. Craftily incorporating different cultures in a campaign and election invites the nation to think and accept the idea of diversity in politics. Being a candidate for the highest position in the land whilst still listening to hip hop, wearing traditional Asian clothing or cooking Latin food should be the standard. Truthfulness about how they are and when they come from, shadowing Obama’s approach, will help any minority get to reside in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The Importance of the Informed Vote in the Black Community By Shantell Missouri
“It was the fact that you threw 80% of your votes behind the Democrats that put the Democrats in the White House. When you see this, you can see that the Negro vote is the key factor. And despite the fact that you are in a position to be the determining factor, what do you get out of it?”Malcolm X On April third 1964, Malcolm X in his speech the Ballot or the Bullet addressed the black community about its voting power. In this speech Malcolm talks about the role the majority black vote had in electing President John F Kennedy into office, “You are the one who sent Kennedy to Washington. You’re the one who put the present Democratic administration in Washington, D.C. The Whites were evenly divided.” The speech went on to mobilize black people to truly evaluate the candidate they put their trust in before backing them, getting the audience to ask themselves what the current Democratic President had really done to better the Black community. In the 60s black people were known to primarily vote democratic, but the trend began way before the 60s and continues to last until this day. Even in 2016, in the black community if you ask your Mom, Grandma, auntie or cousin which party they are voting for odds are they will say the Democrats. However, this wasn't
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always the case, especially noting that the President who signed the Emancipation Proclamation was a Republican going against Southern segregationists who were widely Democratic. Democrats were openly against black people and the Democratic National Convention did not even allow black people to attend Democratic conventions until 1924. So when did this trend begin and why? Research from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies shows that black people were almost evenly Democratic and Republican in the 1930s and early 1940s. The election of 1948 caused a shift in black people identifying as Democrats when Democrat Harry Truman called for improved civil rights measures from Congress focusing on issues such as a federal ban on lynching, voter rights protections, and various other civil rights. This election caused the amount of black people voting democratically to raise from about 40% to 60%. The next huge shift happened with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed by Lyndon B Johnson. Getting this act to pass was no small feat for the black community facing severe backlash from the south and Lyndon B Johnson even noted himself that the passage of that bill meant the end of Democratic voting in the south for that generation. He turned about to be right as the South is still heavily Republican affiliated to this day. However, it also created another group of loyal voters from the black community. In 1968 over 90% of voters were voting Democratic and it has stayed pretty steady. Although it has dropped some throughout the years the black democratic vote hasn't gone below 80% since 1968 and in 2012 rose to about the level it was in 1968 at over 90%. Besides being the party that nominated the Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States into office, why, even after the passage of The Civil Rights Act in 1965, do modern blacks still hold a heavy Democratic party affiliation? Part of the answer lies within the platforms of each party. In comparison to the Republican Party, The Democratic platform tends to support civil rights and feder-
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al support programs. Democrats want to expand federal aid programs like Medicaid with the advent Affordable Care Act and other safety net programs like welfare, whereas the Republican platform supports the importance of small government intervention and purports the importance of working hard to get out of poverty with little aid from government money. The Republican party has a strong focus on economic strength through business and the creation of jobs and a healthy economic infrastructure. Both parties address poverty and economic disadvantage but have very different solutions and philosophies in approach to the problem. As the minority with the highest rate of poverty at 27.4%, black people are often drawn to the Democratic party because of its emphasis on helping those in poverty. Poverty in the black community is often cyclical. Inner cities cannot afford to pay high taxes due to low income so our school systems lack funding which leads to bad education systems. Having a lower education status makes it hard to find a well-paying job, which then lands many black people back in poverty. It makes it hard to advance when black’s primary concerns are financial stability. This unfortunately can create single-issue voters, meaning that in this case blacks base their votes solely on who is providing them the most financial support. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is psychological theory written by Abraham Maslow in 1943 that talks about human motivation. The hierarchy is a pyramid. The first rung is comprised of human’s basics needs such as food, water, clothing, and shelter. Maslow says that without these things we cannot survive which makes them of most importance to our everyday function. Next on the hierarchy is safety. This includes both physical and emotional safety. Once this rung of the pyramid is fulfilled Maslow argues that we can then advance to love and belonging and then self-esteem following as the next rung. The final stage of the pyramid of the hierarchy of needs is self-actualization. Self-actualization is when a person can reach their full potential and can become the best at what they truly want to be in life. This relates to black
voting patterns because as said above, a large portion of blacks live in poverty. This means that a lot of psychological energy goes to focusing on the first two rungs of the hierarchy of needs pyramid, i.e. food, shelter, clothing and safety. When it comes to the candidates black people vote for, it makes sense that blacks are single issue voters! It is hard to think about other issues knowing that what will keep you alive is the money needed to survive which is another reason why even after the Civil Rights Act black people have continued to be loyal to the Democratic Party. However, even though the Democratic Party is more liberal and has a platform that provides more aid to those in poverty, it has also been influential in creating detrimental policies for the black community. The crime bill of 1994 passed by Democrat Bill Clinton is an example. It is issues like these that also are very harmful to the black community that folks should be aware of but as summarized above this is very difficult because of the single issues voters black people have become due to the poverty many face. Black people many not be consciously aware that they have become single issue voters. The decision to vote Democrat is often subconscious and automatic; it is a part of the culture. As said above is what black people know from their community and in many cases their families, but another reason why black people are strictly Democrat is because being Democrat is socially acceptable. Black people who vote Republican are often looked down upon as traitors or Uncle Toms and are seen as not caring about “black” issues. Interestingly blacks who vote Republican also tend to be wealthier. Perhaps not having to focus on the everyday basic needs to survive has allowed them to broaden out to focus other issues they feel strongly about, which is relevant because a study found that 43% of black people identify as being conservative which is contradictory the actual black vote. The real root issue is this country that has marginalized black people into becoming a political monolith. It lies within the culture of systematic
racism that is in the foundation of America and that permeates all aspects a black people's lives. The core of the problem is not whether black people vote Republican or Democrat because honestly both have not stood up in bring black people true freedom, in fact both have actually added to the oppression black people face! The problem is with the current state of this system that has continuously failed the black community and that has contributed to the factors that have created a political monolith in the black community. This is a system should no longer be allowed! Issues and solutions are what matter more than party affiliation cause as 2016 has showed both parties can be racist. It is time that the black community bind together and determine not be default or single issue voters, but to be informed voters, local election voters, and to not ask to escape from socioeconomic oppression but demand it. Malcolm X said “without education, you're not going anywhere in this world.” Education does not only mean getting a degree. As a community that holds so much voting power in this country it is important that black people are informed voters. This means researching the entirety of the candidate's values and not just their stance on welfare to ensure that their policies will not be harmful to the black community in other facets. This also means utilizing our voices in local elections where a lot of instrumental changes can be made. When black people use their voice to demand change in their community, that's when real change will happen. The fight for a country that does not feel comfortable with a large amount of their population being so focused on their everyday basic needs that they cannot begin to focus on the decisions that are shaping other aspects of their lives needs to be waged until it is won. The government itself has failed us, and the White Liberals who have been posing as our friends have failed us. Once we see that all these other sources to which we have turned have failed, we stop turning to them and start turning to ourselves. - Malcolm X
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What Makes Am By Matthew Gamble What really defines what makes the United States a special country, what really makes the US great, memorable and influential compared to the rest of the world? Certainly, Donald J. Trump cannot successfully answer this question as his (and his followers) definition is rooted in bigotry with no evidence to prove his points. Trump’s campaign usage of the slogan “Make America Great Again” which was first attributed to Ronald Reagan and his 1980 campaign, is deliberately used to evoke feelings of nostalgia. It is used to appeal to the undereducated masses who need a scapegoat to blame for their poor economic status. That would be recent immigrants and established minority groups. Trump’s use of this slogan heavily implies that White supremacy and segregation is what made America “great”. However I argue that it is not close to any reality and is quite illogical. What made America “great”, as in creating the strongly distinct cultural and economic status of the United States was its diversity and cultural exchange. From when the time the Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and English settled in the Americas, they heavily relied on the Indigenous peoples in order to learn how to survive in the new environment, to hunt and grow their own food. Cuisine such as corn, turkey, cornbread, cranberries, blueberries, popcorn, chocolate, hominy, tomatoes, etc. and products such as log cabins, cotton, tobacco, rubber, canoes, snowshoes, kayaks, etc were derived from Native American societies and adapted into modern American and later Western cultures. The advanced agricultural methods of Natives were a great assistance to the White settlers who relied on this to prosper in the foreign environment. Native American tribal governments had a big impact on the development of the government of the United States. The idea of a federal government where certain powers are conferred over to a central
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government and the rest of power reserved for the states was inspired by the Iroquoian League. Also, a rather large percentage of the US states are named in tribute to Indian tribes and terms, such as Alabama (from tribe Alibamu), Ohio (Iqoquoi word meaning “beautiful river”), and Texas (name of group of tribes, meaning “friendship)[1]. Later when Africans were brought to the Americas in the 1600s, in a brutal system of chattel (systemic) slavery lasting until 1865, they heavily revolutionized the already diverse culture of the colonial Americas. African Americans have made great contributions in agriculture, cuisine, science, technology, art, folklore, medicine and language of the United States. African traditions of rice cultivation, medicine making, metalworking and woodworking were preserved and utilized in slave territories.
Cuisine was another area of African American influence on modern American culture particularly Southern cuisine. Africans introduced techniques of deep fat frying and making cornbread, gumbo and nut stews. Crops such as okra, blackeyed peas, kidney and lima beans were brought from Africa through slave ships. The development of American cattle raising and techniques such as open-grazing and cattle drives were developed by peoples of Fulani descent. These people would also be referred to as “cowboys”, ranch hands who worked for their master, the ranch owner. Majority of cowboys were in actuality Black men despite the media’s persistent portrayal of them being White
merica Great ? men.
Dance and music was also greatly influenced by African-Americans and still is today. Dance forms such as the Charleston, jitterbug, swing, hiphop, breakdancing and twerking are of Black origin. Instruments such as the banjo were of West African origin and were commonplace in early African-American music. The musical art forms of jazz, country, gospel, spirituals, rock and roll, funk, blues, soul, rhythm and blues (R&B), hip-hop, reggae, disco, house, techno and trap were all products of African diaspora in the Americas. Linguistics also were influenced by Black Americans, terms such as OK, cool, hot, phoney, boogie-woogie, jive, juke(box), dig (to understand), and rap were adopted into American English[2]. Apart from Black and Native American influences on American culture, Latino influence is also present in modern American culture, especially due to increase in immigration. Mexican food has become a popular staple in American dining. Foods such as tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, and tacos are among some of the most popular snacks in the US[3]. Latin American music is also becoming a part of American musical styling, being incorporated into blues, disco, rock, jazz, and hip hop[4].
So with all of the non-European influences in American culture and the positive effects that immigration has had to develop the unique identity that the United States holds, why would encouraging isolationism and bigotry make America “great”? The most exceptional aspect of American society was its diversity and multiculturalism. The US has profited from the creativity and labors of all of its peoples regardless of their color or origin. Though the amount of credit given to minorities has historically been little to none. Donald Trump and his followers in my humble opinion, do not understand what really makes America a “great” country. Reviving bigotry, racism, tribalism, isolationism, and sexism certainly will not make this country better. This instead will we bring this country down and reverse all the hard work that many activists and intellectuals have put in to better the state of this country for all individuals. If we truly want to make America great again, let us be more tolerant, more open-minded, more patient and more willing to discuss and cooperate with each other to create a society which can benefit everyone.
Middle Easterners and Asians have also shown to be an influence on American culture. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Thai foods and chopsticks have already been adapted into American cuisine. Kung fu, samurai and anime films are incredibly popular forms of entertainment. The influence of Asian designs in the arts are also present as shown with the increase of anime-influenced American animations and origami being taught in elementary schools. Many fashion brands are utilizing Middle Eastern, Indian and East Asian designs, aesthetics and patterns into their clothing. Middle Eastern and Asian sounds are becoming more common in many popular music forms such as pop, hip hop, rock and R&B.
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Where Did All The Patriotic Citizens Go? Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers, has been the center of a media frenzy since mid-August; taking many by surprise by sitting during a rendition of the national anthem before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
According to The Guardian, 1,134 young black males alone were killed by law enforcement at the conclusion of 2015. As far as this year goes, at least 194 black citizens have been killed across the nation, as reported by the Huffington Post.
In an exclusive with the NFL media team, Kaepernick said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
To many, Kaepernick’s decision to sit during the national anthem was more than justified in light of the tragic blows to the African American community and his act of “protest” was applauded by a worldwide audience.
Kaepernick was referring to the thousands of people of color who have been persecuted by law enforcement throughout the country in recent years, majority of whom were killed unjustly and whose murderers were not convicted (many were not even indicted).
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By Aaliyah Roulhac
On the flip side, Kaepernick received a massive amount of criticism by fellow athletes, sports fans, celebrities and even politicians for being what they deemed “unpatriotic” and “un-American”. Critics tried to discredit the validity of the NFL player’s protest with questions of his background (him being raised by white, adopted parents) and also the timing of his actions. Famous athlete Shaquille Oneal, said in an inter-
view with Fox & Friends, “My question is, how come you didn’t do it last year? Or how come you didn’t do it when you first entered the NFL?” It goes without saying that the timing of Kaepernick’s protest is not what is important, but instead the reasoning for his protest is what truly matters. What is interesting to point out however, is just how quiet all the critics of Kaepernick have become, in light of the fatal shootings of Terrence Crutcher of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Keith Lamont Scott of Charlotte, North Carolina.
their lives at the hands of those very people who were sworn in to protect and serve them. Families, friends and communities are now missing pieces that once made them whole. Since Colin Kaepernick began his protest, at least 16 black citizens have lost their lives due to police brutality. When the literal blood of African Americans is being shed on the streets of the nation and no one is being held accountable for it, how are we supposed to feel proud?
Both men have been gunned down by police because they were believed to have firearms in their possession when approached by law enforcement in each circumstance.
How can black citizens be considered un-patriotic for not wanting to sing or stand during an anthem that was written by a slave owner, who did not see America as their home?
Crutcher’s car stalled in the middle of the road in Tulsa when police arrived and instead of providing assistance, they opened fire.
How can anyone criticize a group of people for not expressing their love for a country that has shown in many ways, for hundreds of years that is does not love them?
Scott was in his car, picking up his son from school and believed to be reading, when the altercation between himself and law enforcement began, after they were originally in pursuit of a completely different person. In both of these cases, two black men unjustly lost
Before anyone dares to further criticize Colin Kaepernick, or anyone one else for that matter, who decides to sit or kneel during the national anthem- they better have a criticism for the system of law enforcement that’s seemingly taking more lives than it is saving.
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The Black Vote
By Brittany Lashley
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Since forever, African Americans and other minorities have struggled for freedom, equality and just treatment. Many hope that one day, the right president will assist in bringing everything together, or at least make an attempt to improve the unjust treatment of the black community. Which is why every American taking the time to vote is so crucial. However, the normalization of felony disenfranchisement laws have resulted in the heaping record of 6.1 million Americans being forbidden to vote this year. Studies from The Voting Project conclude that one in 13 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised, which is a rate four times greater than non-African Americans. That is 7.4 percent of African American adults that are disenfranchised compared to 1.8 percent of the non-African American population. That being said, with the majority of the disfranchised black, the struggle of freedom in the African American community still remains today. Felony disenfranchisement is to deny someone’s right to vote due to a criminal offense, most often times, a felony. Felony disenfranchisement laws differ throughout states. The Voting Project gathered that Maine and Vermont are the only states that currently allow people in prison to vote. Thirty states ban voting rights to felony probationers and thirty-four disenfranchise those on parole. Unlike New Jersey, twelve states continue to deny voting rights even after a person has finished their prison sentence as well as parole and probation. African Americans are clearly criminally targeted in the United States. The New York Civil Liberties Union did a study on stop-and-frisk data, concluding that in 2015, New Yorkers were stopped by the police 22,939 times. Of the 22,939 stopped, 12,223 were black which accounts for 54 percent; 6,598 were Latino (29 percent), and only 2,567 were white (11 percent). Of the 22,939, eighty percent ended up being innocent. These numbers have been relatively consistent for years
now. So you have to ask yourself, why are blacks being stopped the most? Why are blacks constantly being criminalized? Jamal Hagler, Research Assistant for Progress 2050, points out that people of color make up more than 60 percent of those behind bars. Although African American’s are only 13 percent of the overall U.S. population, 40 percent of those who are incarcerated are black. With all of these facts and statistics about how the majority of those imprisoned and disfranchised are black, now think about those who have been wrongfully committed of a crime and the long-term effects. Kalief Browder for example, was a young black male accused of allegedly stealing a book bag. Due to his family not being able to raise enough money for the $10,000 bail, Browder sat in jail for 3 years awaiting a trial. Browder endured harsh treatment, spent time in solitary confinement, and attempted suicide while incarcerated. Once the case dismissed, shortly after, the
mentally scarred Browder committed suicide. What mental damage is being done to those who are wrongfully committed of a crime? Not to mention the innocent lives of those who were taken by the police, of which most were people of color, unarmed and mentally ill. Although this is an example of blacks losing their lives as a result of the U.S. criminal justice system, it’s also important to acknowledge that if someone is wrongfully committed of a felony, they are getting their right to vote for no reason. We should all have a voice. Blacks need to be heard. But blacks cannot be heard when the majority of those targeted, incarcerated and disenfranchised are black. Inequalities that result from the criminal justice system have great consequences to our nation. It’s time to shed light on this injustice, and take a stand.
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Poetry
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Beautiful Ebony
Dark yet sparkling eyes full red lips and high cheekbones A smile dazzling enough to shine a thousand miles away Your beauty knows no means When you walk boldly yet gently Your strength and wit is an enthralling treasure to behold Your presence alone warms my heart that is so often cold Your smooth chocolate skin and dark curls that spun from your head are sweet as honey Naturally fine the way you are Nothing could ever make you more perfect than you already are No man could every deserve you Your wisdom and strength Your beauty and pride So naturally bright You lighten up my night
By Matthew D. Gamble
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What It Means T White, Black. Brown. Hicks, Slaves, Terrorists. White supremacy, All Lives Matter, Islamophobia, Black Lives Matter, No one left behind. We the minority. Trying to survive in this country that has lost its unity along with its dignity. Where the rich say they got a loan of a million dollars from their daddies and say they became who they are because of themselves. They say they struggled when in reality they struggled to just be richer. Now we got Donald Trump tryna be the next new Hitler. It’s not hard to be a part of the 1% and raise yourself to still be a part of that 1%. If you ask me, it warrants no respect. White Supremacy. Starting out couple steps ahead. From we the minority. To be known for the color of our skin. In this country that is so free of sin. When everything that happens is because I am brown, and you are white. Because of this distinction, we start a fight. So let’s call roles. I will play the terrorist, you can play my therapist. As I obviously am the one who needs the help doctor! Instead of beating up our wives nowadays, we just go on Facebook and block her. You just portraying that old 1980 film you masturbate to alone in your room that you so much prefer. Prefer more than broadcasting your hidden agenda of oppression. All lives matter. They do. But none of us are colorblind. Or ignorant fools that you make us all out to be. We believe Black lives matter. We believe Brown lives matter. We believe Yellow lives matter. We believe... We believe white lives matter, but all of this is to what cost. It costs us our lives. It costs you .0 0 0 0 0 1% of your bank account. I see the worth of my life. So subliminally small you don’t even recognize, or conscious of my existence and my disappearance. We the minority must follow the overlord with their clever inventions. Islamophobia. Can you just attach a religion in front of phobia and call it a word? With as much power as you have I guess you can do something so absurd?
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To Be American
Author: Saad Mughal Saad Rhymes ™
Christianity-phobia. It doesn’t have that ring to it, does it? All lives matter right? Except muslims. Doctor. I’m gonna come out. What? No no, I am not a gay. I am a terrorist. Strike me dead now, and don’t broadcast the news on the television. We wouldn’t want that. My life is worth .0 0 0 0 0 1% of your bank account after all. Now my brother slaves. Work for my white colleagues until you end up in the grave. Slave away with your blood sweat and tears. Picking cotton for the clothes on their backs, Whipped again and again until the blood starts a stream of its own. Mother Nature starts to cry by showering the earth, Washing away the blood that has watered the very cotton that the slaves picked with their bare hands. Flash forward. Now slaves are just running. Running right beside us terrorists. Running away from all the therapists in this world that say we are all equal in every which way. We know there is no equality when we are to start in a race 10 feet behind the start line and have to end 10 feet after the finish. This country is broken. Shattered to pieces that can’t be rejoined, as if it were whole, it would still not be perfect. Not as long as the past is the past and the present is me being a terrorist, my black friend being a slave, and my white friend being a hick. Not any longer can I continue being the one to blow up the world, when you are the one putting the bomb in the ground and the trigger into my hand, and slamming it down for me to take the fall! Not any longer can any of us stand by each other without causing some sort of destruction. It is not our fault that we were given a piece of paper that had a full set of pre-prepared, prewritten, gun to our heads, hand waiting to pull the trigger if we did not fulfill,... instructions. Is it really our fault I ask? I have several friends who have changed their names, and put on a mask. To cover the color of their skins, the features of their face, the sound of their voice, the soul that is their body. We stop being ourselves. We start being someone who has no identity. My friends say, I am American.
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MUTE MUTE MUTE MUTE
By Sade Ford
Now I can’t say that we are voiceless but our voices have been heard less and less and unless things change, there will be no peace I’m gonna say that again I can’t say that we are voiceless but our voices have been heard less and less and unless things change, there will be no peace, everything will stay the same, As in a cycle A circuit a series of events that forsake our sanity Otherwise known as the repetitive nature of history described as the world sitting on the back of Atlas spinning and not stopping. Spinning and unaware of the sounds that have been echoing for centuries. Spinning and briefly flinching at the reminder of its inhabitants. In other words everything will just repeat itself and our voices will drown out unheard unappreciated unqualified unrecognized too woman too man too colored too strong too slang too proper too religious too specific And not enough listening to each other not enough lean on me and when you’re not strong I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry-on for it won’t be long till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on I’ve spent nights where I can hear my prayers mixing with those who have
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too much to wish for and only God willing to listen. I sit there singing the same song too, and hoping that someone hears me. just needing someone to hear me. And that’s when the song echoes Lean on me and when you’re not strong But the melody is on repeat and I can’t say it’s easy to listen to But the melody is on repeat and it’s easier to ignore than carry out But the melody is on repeat and I’m tired of being the one that’s carrying all this weight I’m tired of being atlas holding the world on my shoulders and I’m not strong enough anymore. And Atlas says why can’t you hear me Why can’t you realize that I hear all of your cries but I’m not willing to listen anymore When will the bombs stop When will all of your children have beds to sleep in Why can’t you all be selfless like me I’m holding your world your burden on my shoulders and I ask for nothing in return. And atlas says I am not voiceless but my voice is useless for you still do not hear me. And atlas ends with it won’t be long till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on. Please swallow your pride. And the melody Echoes across the world waiting for somebody to grasp the concept of help when needed not help for benefit. And maybe that’s why it’s so hard for America to open her borders Maybe she realizes that her children although plump are too disorderly to help someone else Maybe she realizes that her children are splitting her into 2 and marking themselves red or blue Black and white Muslim and some form of Christian That her children can’t handle the responsibility of helping someone else, they have their own troubles
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And their version of helping tends to hinder hurt and involves no tender heart. Maybe America is just selfish. Maybe her children just need to remember that ohana means familyplease swallow your pride. Oh wait another culture that was destroyed in their attempt to help poor unfortunate souls And I can see America following in the footsteps of England and calling that freedom. I call that insanity I call doing the same thing over and over and over in order to achieve different re re results insanity. And aren’t I crazy, Because I’ve opened the bible only twice and still continue to put my hopes for an afterlife in God And maybe that’s why it’s so hard for America to open her borders Maybe she realizes that her children although plump are too disorderly to help someone else Maybe she realizes that her children are splitting her into 2 and marking themselves red or blue Black and white Muslim and some form of Christian That her children can’t handle the responsibility of helping someone else, they have their own troubles And their version of helping tends to hinder hurt and involves no tender heart. Maybe America is just selfish. Maybe her children just need to remember that ohana means family- please swallow your pride. Oh wait another culture that was destroyed in their attempt to help poor unfortunate souls And I can see America following in the footsteps of England and calling that freedom. I call that insanity I call doing the same thing over and over and over in order to achieve different re re results insanity And aren’t I crazy,
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Because I’ve opened the bible only twice and still continue to put my hopes for an afterlife in God And I’m just waiting for the record to start skipping Waiting for everyone to start skipping stones across their morals Waiting for everyone to start fending for themselves and fighting for themselves And for justice to become just us And is it sad when you don’t know which us you belong to. And when your not strong I’ll be your friend I’ll be your friend I’ll be your I’ll be I’ll be voiceless Because when your truly alone After you’ve finally reaped what you sow When karma catches up to you After you’ve severed all of your ties to humanity You will be voiceless Only humans are capable of speech and reflecting on thought but after repeating the same melody after hearing cries and screams and doing nothing After returning to war to get the oil in the mass destruction of our humanity After the killing of collateral damage, and putting it on repeat. Masking it as the attack on terrorism and playing the melody After the killing of black men by men in blue After the killing of men in blue by black men After the killing of black men by black men And the melody is on repeat Repeat After these walls we continue to build instead of bridges We are no better than animals, we all have pain, we all have sorrow Lean on me, and when your not strong I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on for it won’t be long till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on. Please swallow your pride And together we will no longer be mute
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