Race And Civil Rights

April 4 Commemorations: NATO Formation And Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination

Ronald Leave a comment

Today is an historic day more than just normal.

It is the 73rd anniversary (1949) of the formation of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), an alliance that began as 12 nations and is now 30 nations, formed in opposition to the Soviet Union, to defend democracy in western Europe, but now also including the former Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe as well.

In this itme of the horrors of the Russia-Ukraine War, NATO is even more important, and may soon be engaged in World War III, if any of the NATO nations are being attacked.

It is also the 54th anniversary of the tragic death by assassination of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968, a loss that has had a dramatic effect on the issue of race and civil rights in America, and more of a crisis yet again in the time of Republican and conservative attacks, including the Supreme Court, on women, immigrants, racial minorities, and the gay, lesbian, and transgender communities.

Massive Number Of Problems In 2020 America

Ronald 3 Comments

America in the middle of 2020 faces a massive number of problems, all at once.

We have the COVID-19 Virus, which has killed 130,000 Americans and which is being made worse by resistance of many to obey the rules on masks, social distancing, and avoiding crowds. The fact that Donald Trump refuses to set an example is making the situation far worse! This is the worst health crisis in a century!

We have the economic depression, the worst since the 1930s, and millions of people face hunger and homelessness, and it is already showing up with an increased crime rate in poor neighborhoods.

We have a major crisis in mental health, which is a time bomb that can undermine the nation’s future.

We have an environmental crisis, which endangers the nation and is being made worse by the Trump Administration policy on environmental issues.

We have a conflict on race and civil rights, far worse because we also have a President who reminds us of George Wallace in the 1960s, but the difference was that Wallace, while campaigning for President, had no chance to win, only cause turmoil but not make policy.

We also have a divided Congress, which historically has meant little ability to resolve or deal at all with major issues.

We have a court system rapidly becoming more right wing in a nation that is moving to the left, as the country moves to the inevitable majority being racial minorities in a generation from now.

When Joe Biden, God willing, becomes President, he will face more issues and controversies, all at once, than any President in the lifetime of anyone now living!