It’s time to Break It Down!

Usually, I provide my take on the issues of the day, while penning a post. But occasionally, I run across a story that I don’t deign to reframe. I like it just the way it is. Such is the case today, with a story by, CNN’sGeorge Ramsay, Jill Martin, David Close, and Wayne Sterling. They wrote about what should have been a depiction of a sporting event, but that instead, devolved into recounting the rough and tumble experiences of a group of athletes who were subjected, firsthand, to an American staple, racism in the first degree. Don’t tell Nikki.

Without further ado, check it out.

Reporting by CNN’s George Ramsey and Jill Martin, with contributions from David Close and Wayne Sterling.

The Utah women’s basketball team had to switch hotels after experiencing what head coach Lynne Roberts called “racial hate crimes” ahead of its first NCAA tournament game.

According to Roberts, the team was staying at a hotel in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, last week when the incidents occurred. This was before a first-round game against South Dakota State in Spokane, Washington, about 30 miles away.

“We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program, and (it was) incredibly upsetting for all of us,” Roberts told reporters on Monday.

She added: “There is so much diversity on a college campus and so you’re just not exposed to that very often … Racism is real. It happens. It’s awful. So, for our players, whether they are White, Black, green, whatever, no one knew how to handle it. It was really upsetting.”

Utah defeated South Dakota State on Saturday before losing 77-66 against Gonzaga in the tournament’s second round on Monday. CNN has contacted Utah and Gonzaga for further comment.

The details of the alleged racist incidents are unclear, but Gonzaga said it may have been disparaging comments.

Following them, Roberts said the Utes switched hotels after just one night before their games in Spokane.

“For our players and staff to not feel safe in an NCAA tournament environment, it’s messed up, and so we moved hotels,” she explained.

“The NCAA and ([host university) Gonzaga worked to get us in a new hotel and we appreciate that. That’s what happened. It was a distraction and upsetting and unfortunate.

“This should be a positive for everybody involved. This should be a joyous time for our program. To have kind of a black eye on this experience is unfortunate.”

Spokane was also a predetermined site for the first two rounds of the men’s tournament. With the Utah, UC Irvine, and South Dakota State women’s teams all staying in the area, hotel space was limited.

After the elimination of some men’s teams, the NCAA and Gonzaga offered Utah and UC Irvine the chance to move to the vacated hotel rooms in Spokane, a source familiar with the situation told CNN.

The source added that, because Utah and UC Irvine had been based in Idaho, Gonzaga had arranged for police escorts to ensure the drive time to the venue did not exceed approximately 30 minutes, which is a condition of being able to host after earning a top-16 seed.

After those two teams were moved into Spokane hotels, police escorts continued to be provided for them, according to the source.

Gonzaga said that it is aware of “racially disparaging comments” to visiting players, adding: “Hate speech in any form is repugnant, shameful and must never be tolerated.

“We worked hard to secure the opportunity to serve as the host institution, and our first priority is and must be the safety and welfare of all student-athletes, coaches, families and supporting staff.”

The NCAA said Tuesday it worked with Gonzaga and Utah to provide increased security for the Utes until new accommodations were arranged in Spokane.

“The NCAA condemns racism and hatred in any form and is committed to providing a world-class athletics and academic experience for student-athletes that fosters lifelong well-being,” it said in a statement. “NCAA championship events represent the pinnacle of a student-athlete’s collegiate career. We are devastated about the Utah team’s experience while traveling to compete on what should have been a weekend competing on the brightest stage and creating some of the fondest memories of their lives.”

The organization thanked local law enforcement for its quick response and “efforts to keep student-athletes safe.”

Idaho’s Republican Gov. Brad Little gave no details but called the incidents the “hateful, unacceptable actions of a few” that Idahoans cannot let “tarnish our state.”

“Idaho leaders and community members at all levels have been consistent and clear about our values – we fully reject racism in all its forms,” he said in a statement. “We condemn bullies who seek to harass and silence others. I will continue the tradition of past Idaho governors in supporting our local leaders in their efforts to eradicate hate and bigotry from our communities.”

“This Ish is Someone’s Idea of the American Dream: Let That Sink In!” I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/26/sport/utah-basketball-racism-ncaa-tournament-spt-intl/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

Yesterday was the second biggest day in American Electoral politics, Super Tuesday, exceeded in importance, and in actual number of Americans voting, only by Election Day, November 5, 2024. Ten weeks ago, I noted after the first couple of Republican contests, the GOP Caucuses in Iowa, and the New Hampshire GOP Primary in the Granite State, that we could confidently project the 2024 Presidential Race would feature the same two candidates as the 2020 Campaign. Donald Trump won both contests, and while the Democratic Party’s Primary Season had yet to kick off, as an incumbent President, Joe Biden was certain to be the other principal in a binary choice.

As I write this, the results from Super Tuesday continue to roll in. At midnight, there has been one deviation, as Nikki Haley won the Vermont Primary. Meanwhile, Biden seems poised for a clean sweep of the states with Democratic contests. However, he did lose the one Territory, American Samoa, that was contested last night.

The bottom line is, we are about to, as they say in sports parlance, run it back. There are two candidates capable of winning in November, Biden, and Trump, and you get to vote for one. The end.

So yesterday was the end of the beginning of our two-part voting season. For all practical purposes, you have one more shot, the fall Early Voting period/Election Day. This is where I insert my regular programming. If you haven’t registered to vote, do it tomorrow. Plan to vote as soon as the Early Voting period begins, if your state or territory has one, and if it doesn’t have one, plan to vote on Election Day.

As I watch and listen to various analyses of the candidates, and the pending Election, two key things resonate. First, Republicans in general, and especially Trump supporters, believe whatever he says. They accept the mean tweets, they embrace the hyperbole and untruths as fact, and they largely consider those who take exception to his rambling rants, as infidels. Second, Trump himself says those who don’t get on board with him should be forever exiled from MAGAdom. His supporters dutifully agree.

If Super Tuesday resolved anything, it is that the GOP Race, if there ever was one, is over. Late last night, House Speaker Mike Johnson congratulated Trump as “our Nominee.” At this writing, Nikki Haley had not conceded.* She declined to issue a statement after last night’s results. Nevertheless, Trump continues to move rapidly toward the goal of 1,215 of 2,429 delegates required to win the nomination. The powers that be within the GOP are nearly unified in urging Haley to drop out so Trump can focus solely on Biden. Team Trump has projected that they may reach the threshold as early as next week. The clock is tick, tick, ticking, and the hands of time cannot be turned back. Miss Nikki’s days are numbered. The remaining outstanding questions appear to be, will Haley make an about-face and endorse Trump, and if so, when?

On the other side of the equation, Biden has his own set of concerns. His support is lagging among several constituent groups of the Democratic coalition, as I mentioned in last week’s post, including, but not limited to, African Americans, Moslem Americans, Hispanics, young people, and progressives. In the final analysis, the margins in all those groups will matter. Biden may not fall below 50% support in any of those groups, but every vote counts. If the margins are substantially less that they were in 2020, it may be lethal to Biden’s chances to win. However, it’s not just those who will vote for Trump instead of Biden that matter. Just as important, and possibly more so, will be those who stay at home and don’t vote.

In summary, I will say again: your vote matters. Moreover, for all those who don’t know, don’t recognize, or don’t believe Biden did anything to enhance their lives over the past three plus years, he did. Let me count (some of) the ways:

Leveraged the full force of the federal government to advance racial justice and equity

Created new business opportunities/promoting entrepreneurship for Black Americans; 60% wealth increase vs. pre pandemic

America is the premier energy producing (including oil) country in the world

Added 14 million jobs since January 2021 (Trump left office at minus 2 million jobs)

Contributed to the lowest unemployment ever, including for African Americans

Unemployment has remained below 4% for 22 consecutive months

Inflation (which is still too high) has fallen by two-thirds

Reduced child poverty to historic lows

Expanded access to quality low income housing

Increased access to quality education with historic funding to HBCU’s

Expanded access to affordable healthcare

Advanced voting rights and police accountability

That’s just a dozen examples of things that too often fly under the radar, but that affect the day to day lives of millions of average Americans, especially those in the Democratic coalition. The Biden Administration has fostered and executed the initiatives above, and many others.

Now, let’s defy the odds, VOTE November 5th. “Super Tuesday is in the Books!”

P.S. At approximately 6:25 this morning, CBS News reported that Haley is suspending her campaign. The other shoe has dropped.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

It’s time to Break It Down!

Before I get started, allow me to interject, this post does not reflect anyone else’s data, research, or views; only my own, based upon my assessment and interpretation of contemporary current events.  

Many Democrats, blinded by party loyalty, refuse to publicly prosecute the vulnerabilities…at least publicly, of Joe Biden. That’s not to say Republicans are more inclined to critique Donald Trump; they most certainly are not. But this post is not about Trump. This missive is an elocution on Biden and yesterday’s protest vote in the Michigan Democratic Primary.

First, let us note, President Biden is in the initial stages of a challenging re-election campaign. We always knew it would be. Full stop. In a big picture dynamic, there are those who will argue that Biden has labored under a mixed bag of self-inflicted wounds, bad luck, and circumstances beyond his direct control. Regardless of whether that is fair, the fact is, whoever sits in the Oval Office has the awesome responsibility of owning the spot where the proverbial buck stops. There are no ifs, no ands, no buts…simply put, no way around it, whatsoever.

The Democratic Party has a large, unwieldy, and loosely aligned coalition. It’s commonly known as a big tent. When things go well, it’s an impressive machine. At the end of the day, in 2020, it clicked. Joe Biden garnered over 81 million votes, the most in any U.S. Presidential Campaign, ever. 

The election four years ago occurred during a global pandemic, amidst economic chaos, an education crisis, and supply chain disruption. The sitting President was actively promoting unorthodox and non-scientific remedies for the covid virus, had been impeached once, and was impeached again a week before his term expired. Oh yeah, the charge for his second impeachment was “incitement of insurrection.” Clearly, there was a significant wind filling Biden’s sails.

That was then. Every election stands on its own. 2024 brings with it, specific challenges. For President Biden, that includes a weakening of support among several subsets of the Democratic coalition, including Blacks, Hispanics, Youth, progressives, and in Michigan especially, Moslem-American activists. Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib has led the charge in creating a campaign for Michiganders identifying as Democrats, to vote “uncommitted,” to send a message to President Biden. Tlaib, and Arab-Americans are angry about Biden’s support of Netanyahu and Israel in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East, arising from Hamas attacking Israel on October 7, 2023. The progressives want Biden to pressure the Israeli Prime Minister to cease and desist with the bombing campaign that has resulted in tens of thousands of Arabs, many of them children, being killed. More importantly, they also want a cessation of aid to Israel. The not-so-subtle messaging behind the campaign is to say to Biden, we are giving you a dress rehearsal, demonstrating what could happen in November, if you don’t meet our demands.

President Bident was declared the winner of last night’s Michigan Primary very early in the evening. However, winning the Primary was never in question. What was at issue was the number/percentage of people who would ultimately vote uncommitted. Tlaib set the modest goal of 10,000 votes as the floor. That number, which admittedly was a lowball figure, was quickly exceeded. By midnight, with roughly 50% of the vote tallies, over 60K “uncommitted” votes had been counted.

Here’s the rub. Michigan (along with Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) is a swing state, and was instrumental in determining the outcome of the 2020 Presidential race. It is expected to be pivotal again in 2024. The Moslem community went heavily for Biden in 2020. In a state he won by roughly 150,000 votes, Moslem-Americans voted him by approximately the same number of votes (Not all “uncommitted” votes were by Arabs/Moslems). That seems simple and straight-forward enough. But the fundamentals and context of the broader discourse is considerably more complex. As noted earlier, several of the constituencies in the Democratic coalition have seen their support of Biden soften, relative to what it was in 2020. Moslems are just one of them. He must be concerned about all of them.

As it relates to Tlaib and the progressives’ stated posture on a ceasefire, and discontinuing aid, there is a particular calculus that does not portend a favorable outcome. Another of the stated groups of the Democratic coalition are Jews. The odds that Biden, or any U.S. President would stop aid to our single most reliable ally in the Middle East is, in a word, zero! The President has even been reticent to publicly pressure Netanyahu to cease the bombing, and to the extent he’s implied it, Bibi has blown him off, and talked about not being a puppet of the U.S. Of course, the Prime Minister is a rightward leaning politician, and has maintained a less than enthusiastically supportive/positive posture with Democratic Presidents (See Barack Obama), so the President’s reluctance to go there is not surprising. One other key consideration is, politically, there is an argument to be made that it is in Netanyahu’s interest to extend the war. He is an unpopular leader, and without the war, he would immediately face daunting challenges to his tenure.

There are multiple dimensions of the playing field when it comes to resolving the dispute between Israel and Hamas. President Biden and his team have been immersed in trying to end the conflict. He was instrumental in reaching the ceasefire that led to the earlier release of some hostages. Undoubtedly, he will continue to work diligently, moving forward. But if you take nothing else from this conversation, understand this reality: “Michigan Primary: The Horns of a Dilemma for Biden!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

It’s time to Break It Down!

I am well on the way to my 17^th year as a Blogger, Content Creator, or whatever other term you choose as your preferred euphemism. In sixteen and a half years, I have made over 850 blog posts. The range of topics I have tacked run the gamut, and include, among other things, politics, history, sports, holidays, healthcare, education, race, America, labor, wars, personalities, and travel, just to cite a dozen categories. One thing I have never written about, and in full disclosure, have never contemplated writing about, is Country Music. Decades ago, I heard a Country Music singer say, “The Country in Country Music, is America.” While admittedly, not a fan of the genre, then or now, I must admit, the moment I heard the guy say that I thought it was profound. I still believe that to be true. 

Yesterday, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter’s new song, “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted as the Number 1 song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Even if it’s only a paragraph, I must write about that. Image Bey being featured/nominated for one or more awards in the Country category at the 2025 Grammy’s, or at the Country Music Association Awards Show next year. We all know Bey & Jay are music royalty. When they make music, they make news. That’s been the case, since long before the two became the power couple they are today. For them, grabbing headlines in the music world is virtually de rigueur. But even by that standard, this is different.

Let’s not get it twisted though. Black folks are not new to this country music thing. The first string bands in this country were enslaved people. Moreover, the root of country music is blues, of which Santi Elijah Holley said, “It’s Black as hell.” When I was growing up, Charley Pride, was the Country sensation of the era. In 1962, Ray Charles released his 17^th album, entitled, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. He went on to earn a Grammy for Album of the Year. Oh yeah, lest I forget to mention it, Beyoncé’s other new country song “16 Carriages” ranks No. 9 on the Billboard Country Music chart. Yes, in addition to debuting at Number 1, she also has a second Billboard Country Music chart Top 10 hit.

Today, there are several successful Black artists, popular for their singing country music, including Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Jimmy Allen, Brittney Spencer, and Willie Jones. They are all fine artists. However, none of them is Beyoncé, who has collected 88 Nominations, and 32 Grammy Awards: both, the most in history. Incidentally, Jay-Z has also garnered 88 Nominations, tying “his Bey” for most ever, to accompany his 24 Grammy Awards. Yes, that’s right, between the two of them, they have earned 176 Grammy Nominations, and 56 Grammy Awards.

In landing her first-ever No. 1 single on the country charts, Beyoncé enters rare air. She became only the second solo woman with no accompanying artists to achieve the feat. Taylor Swift, whose songs “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” hit No. 1 in 2021.

Bey is also the first woman to have topped both the Hot Country and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since the lists began in 1958. Morgan Wallen, Justin Bieber, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Ray Charles are the only other artists to have reached No. 1 on both charts.

Her current hits, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” were released Feb. 11, after Beyoncé teased the release of new music in a surprise Super Bowl ad for Verizon. She also announced her eighth solo studio album “Renaissance Act II” is scheduled for release March 29, 2024. “Bey Watch: This Is My “Country!””

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/entertainment/beyonce-new-music-super-bowl-ad/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/entertainment/beyonce-new-music-super-bowl-ad/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last week in this space, I wrote about Republicans having had a tough day. Well, yesterday, as I predicted they would, House Republicans reversed one of the elements of their hard luck dramafest. By the slimmest of margins, the narrow House GOP majority, voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The vote was 214 to 213. Three Republicans – Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, and Tom McClintock of California – voted against the measure. For context, only one Cabinet official has previously been impeached in American history: Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876.

But even with another questionable record to its credit, not everything was cookies and cream for the Grand Old Party. Also yesterday, in a New York Special Election, Democrat Thomas Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip, in a race to claim the seat previously held by disgraced former House member George Santos. With the defeat, the House GOP Caucus now has 219 members. Within the 435-member Chamber, 218 members are necessary to form a majority, when all eligible members are voting. From now to November, there are sure to be many tight votes in the House. That, of course presumes, the Speaker of the House will allow votes to take place, rather them delaying, or scuttling them via various parliamentary procedures. “The GOP Gets One Back; Impeaches Mayorkas!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/politics/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-vote/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/politics/santos-seat-tom-suozzi-mazi-pilip/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last week, I wrote a brief post about the apparent eventuality of a Biden-Trump rematch. Not much has happened on that front since then, other than Nikki Haley insisting that she’s in the race to stay, even though, she lost the first two contests (Iowa & New Hampshire), and despite the fact she will be completely shut out in the next one, the Nevada Caucuses, next week on February 8th, where she’s not even on the ballot, and notwithstanding, she is currently trailing by 30 points in the one after that, her own home state, of South Carolina, slated for February 24th. As long as Ms. Haley can persuade donors to pony up, she will be able to hang around. That’s been her focus the past week, while D-Trump and his backers have been engaged in a campaign to collect endorsements and donors, while concomitantly disparaging Haley and dissuading anyone who would be inclined to support her. 

There are a lot of people, mostly non-Republicans, who wonder why so many people say they support Donald Trump over all other Republicans, many of whom insist they will do so, even if he is convicted on any of the 91 felony charges he faces. I’ve given that some thought, and I will likely write about it, in some future post. Now, I’ll leave you with one thought. When Trump says, I will be your retribution, or I would be a dictator for just one day, or Biden and the Democrats stole the election, his acolytes love that, want that, and feel that he understands their grievances, and only he, will make it right. 

Today, I simply want to say a few words about the incongruous directions of Republicans, especially in the House, where there is an effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ostensibly for the “so-called” high crime and misdemeanor of not protecting the southern border, while they simultaneously and crowingly vow to kill a bi-partisan bill generated by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, to protect the southern border. Indications are, even though an agreement in principle has been reached, some Republican Senators may back away from their consent, to avoid embarrassing their House counterparts, by sending them a bill they have already decided to scuttle, should it come their way.

It cannot be overlooked that one of, if not the principal reason, the GOP is contorting itself, and opting to commit political hari-kari, is because Donald Trump has asked them to do so. See my note two paragraphs above, about why Republicans support Trump, even when he expresses sentiments antithetical to the democratic (small D) credo. The current rhetoric among Republicans asserts, “There is no need for legislation; the President can take Executive action to resolve the problem at the border.” The thing is, whenever Biden openly considers taking Executive action, Republicans vociferously argue, the President is acting like an autocrat, and doesn’t have the power to act unilaterally. Consider Biden’s effort to eliminate student debt.

The long and short of it is, we are in the midst of a Presidential Campaign, and every action Biden takes is going to be characterized as overreach, while every act of restraint will be called weakness. Trump and his collaborators will make sure that any other course will be deemed GOP political malpractice.

That’s all well and good…if you’re a Trumpophile. However, anyone else needs to see this for what it is, exactly the opposite of the so-called “Country-first” mantra Republicans purport to represent. In fact, it is a strategy designed to do one thing; grease the skids for Trump’s presumed run to the White House. If this gambit succeeds, cynicism carries the day, Trump wins (the argument), and America loses the high ground as the world’s leading voice of democracy. For shame. “Impeach Alejandro, Kill the Immigration Bill: The Screaming Contradictory GOP Illogic of It All!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right-hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.”

Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/30/opinions/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-push-reyes/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/30/politics/speaker-johnson-border-deal-senate/index.html