It’s time to Break It Down!

If there is one thing, I’m certain of, it’s that a lot of White people are tired of the nearly inescapable national discourse on racism. I know a number of them don’t believe it exists, and a good many more believe White people are the victims. Not really! At least not in the deeply entrenched systemic way, that needs to be, and has needed to be, addressed for eons.

Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Derek Chauvin, a local police officer, killed Floyd near the intersection of East 38^th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd died as a result of Chauvin applying a knee to his neck for 9 minutes and twenty-nine seconds…until death, did he depart this life. The incident sparked a national and international movement emphasizing social justice, and underscoring in a most persistent way, the ideal that, Black Lives Matter. During a global pandemic, we experienced, yet another long hot summer.

Now there are individuals who posit, the real problem is Black on Black crime. Whenever the conversation about police officers killing “frequently unarmed” Black men arises, many people I know default to the classic whataboutism of Blacks killing other Blacks being ignored, or being OK, or being underreported. Stop it! It’s none of those things. It is regularly reported. I see it on the local and national news on a near nightly basis. They are not the same. Law enforcement officers have the advantage of the power of local, state, or federal government behind them, plus firearms, Tasers, nightsticks, and an array of tools they are authorized to use to neutralize suspects. Oh yeah, purportedly, they are also equipped with advanced training and skill sets, including de-escalating conflict, and subduing uncooperative detainees. Although, admittedly, when it comes to encounters with Black folks, you wouldn’t know it.

Suffice it to say, the space in which we find ourselves is not new. In 1968, LBJ’s National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders — better known as the Kerner Commission — put out a report that attempted to address systemic racism in the US, including police violence against Black people. That was the year Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed; more than 50 years ago. Perhaps, one of the most notable elements of that study was the willingness of a White guy to cite racism aimed at Black people as quintessentially problematic.

In fact, the report pointed to the scourge of racism as a major cause of economic and social inequality for Black people. It also added that it was moving the country towards two societies: “One Black, one White, separate and unequal.” That, coupled with the brutal police treatment of people of color and poverty, helped spark the race riots of the 1960s.

This was the first time “White racism” was expressly identified in the public policy square as a major cause for inequality in status and living conditions of Black Americans. That was great, as far as it went. Unfortunately, the recommended prescriptions and remedies were not executed.

Former Oklahoma Senator, Fred Harris, the only surviving member of the Kerner Commission, said, change will only come when the people have the will, and the government is truly honest about what must be done politically, socially and economically to address racial inequality. Easier said, than done.

As Jelani Cobb, historian and co-editor of “The Essential Kerner Commission Report,” said, people and institutions already know what the problem is and that the only action that needs to be taken now is actually following the recommendations of the commission, and pay the price that comes with it. 

“The actions are laid out; you really don’t need more recommendations. The fundamental observations (of the commission) have never been acted on.” 

So, what exactly, were those proposed solutions?

The enduring query for the Commission was: What can be done to prevent race riots from happening again and again?

The Commission recommended:

A great, new federal program

Vigorous enforcement of the newly enacted Civil Rights laws

New jobs programs

New housing programs

New Health and education programs

Unfortunately, former Senator Harris noted, the commission coincided with what historians call “a political moment.” President Johnson was facing heat from the left to provide more support for civil rights and systemic racism issues, while the right wanted to roll back that funding, and redirect it to funding for the Vietnam War. In the final analysis, Johnson opted not to seek re-election and the Commission’s recommendations went nowhere.

There have been other commissions. None have stepped up to the challenge. Some of President Biden’s supporters are trying to frame him as a potentially transformative President. We’ll see if he can find the wherewithal to address systemic racism head-on. If his colleagues on The Hill can successfully marshal their forces and navigate to fruition the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, he will have made an auspicious start. “Racism Is Real: Get Beyond Denial!”

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/2021/05/25/us/kerner-commission-report-predicted-racial-divide/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

If you follow my work, you know that every now and then, I write about the intricacies of my personal life. Today’s blog is one of those posts. No links, no footnotes; one hundred percent first person accounting. 

Forty-eight years ago, I lost my brother to a violent crime. He lived in the Capital of The Empire State. We were close, at least for siblings born twelve years apart. He was the eldest (there were only two of us), and broke camp soon after high school. He started a family and made a life in Albany. I visited a couple of times growing up. He came back home about the same number of times.

My mother died of cancer in 1962. He spent some time at home during the final stages of her illness. We bonded over our deep appreciation of comic books. At least that’s was the pretext. I think we knew, in our heart of hearts, this was the advent of the next phase of our individual, and collective lives, living without the physical presences and love of Gertrude Wiggins Miller. Our mom.

After that uniquely life altering experience, I moved about a bit. I was adopted by an aunt and an uncle, and spent a couple of years with them, living as a military brat, in Washington, DC for a semester, and in Ft. Belvoir, VA for a year and a half. I hung out with my dad in Brooklyn during the summers. I made it to Albany during one of the summer stints. Didn’t make it back again until Christmas Break of my Freshman Year in college. It was a great reunion after 7-8 years, albeit unavoidably short. 

In retrospect, it turned out to be the last time we would see each other. Two and a half months later, I was pulled out of an afternoon class, to be greeted by devastating news. My big brother, mi amigo y compadre, had been murdered. It was an unfathomable sequence. While my rational mind understood the premise that people of all ages die, it simply never occurred to me that my brother, or I, would meet death’s angel before our father. Or my adopted parents, for that matter. While in later years, my dad would clearly establish himself as my unparalleled hero, in those days, the sun rose and set on my big brother. The abrupt and unforeseen end of our mutual admiration alliance, simultaneously ended my connection with the life my brother had made in Albany, including with his family…my family.

Over the past 10-15 years, I have often wondered what ever happened to my Albany family. As it turns out, though I had no bead on my brother’s family, his brood was not my only family in town. On Mother’s Day weekend, a cousin here in NC traveled to visit her sister and brother-in-law…in Albany. While there, she did some on-the-ground reconnaissance. She returned to NC with a nephew’s phone number. I subsequently called and spoke with him, and with a brother and a sister. Just like that, after decades, I was able to reconnect with a long lost (to me) part of my family.

Over the past week, we have begun the process of forging a proper and lasting familial bond. I look forward to escaping the confines of Covid, and spending genuine quality family time, catching up on what all of us have missed. Willie, Maurice, and Nicole, thank you for embracing me; I love you. “Mi Familia: This One’s Personal!”

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 link below:

It’s time to Break It Down!

This shouldn’t take long. So if everything holds to form, the GOP will remove Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney from her position as the Number 3 Republican in the House when her conference votes later today. According to a variety sources, this open secret is the expected outcome.

For weeks now, Cheney, who has survived one episode designed to separate her from her position, has reportedly been on a non-stop collision course with cancellation. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and a host of his fellow Republicans have referred to Cheney as a distraction. In an on-air interview last week, he noted that he supported NY Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who ironically nominated Cheney, for the post. People who follow such things have observed that Stefanik has a considerably less conservative record than Cheyney. She also voted with 45 less frequently than Cheney.

The GOP has consistently and fervently ranted and raved against what it calls cancel culture. McCarthy even recently boasted that Republicans are a party that has room for dissenting voices. All of this serves to only heighten what even some of their own members consider hypocrisy. This sentiment flows from the fact that it is apparent the reason for Cheney’s impending exile is that she voted to impeach 45, and readily admits that 45 inspired the January 6 insurrection. She has told friends she “does not believe 45 will just fade away” and that she’s planning to wage a protracted political war — through public statements and in the media — against the former President.

The fact that the attack on the Capitol played out on TV, complete with 45’s remarks as a prologue, has not proved sufficient to induce most Republicans in Congress to trust their lying eyes. Moreover, some of those who admitted it later January 6^TH, including McCarthy, and Mitch McConnell, have effectively recanted. There is polling that suggests 70% or more of all Republicans do not believe the election was free and fair. In other words, they believe the 45 inspired “big lie.”

Cheney is among a small group of Republicans in Congress who have shown the temerity to speak truth to 45’s power. In addition to Cheney, Adam Kinzinger in the House, and Mitt Romney in the Senate, have called out 45 for his shenanigans. Obviously, that’s not nearly enough.

Last week, Cheney published an op-ed in The Washington Post that foreshadows her likely tack. In it she wrote:

“Trump is seeking to unravel critical elements of our constitutional structure that make democracy work — confidence in the result of elections and the rule of law. No other American president has ever done this. The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution.”

Today is a big day for Liz Cheney, for the GOP, and for American Democracy. Congressional Republicans, apparently, have made their decision. They are rolling with 45. Congresswoman Cheney has made her position clear; she’s repping for the Constitution. Democracy hangs in the balance. Get ready for…”Cancel Culture GOP Style!”

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/2021/05/11/politics/liz-cheney-republican-party-trump-long-game/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

Slowly, surely, inexorably, the wall of obfuscation, deception, and flat out lies will tumble. It may take much longer than it should…but it will happen. Late last year, the 2020 Voter Fraud machination became familiarly known as “The Big Lie.” This post is a friendly reminder, it’s not the only one.

Yesterday, Judge Amy Berman Jackson rejected the Justice Department’s attempts to keep secret a departmental opinion to not charge 45 with obstruction at the end of the Mueller investigation. In doing so, she called the administration’s lawyers “disingenuous.”

The Justice Department had argued before the court that the largely redacted March 2019 memo was legal reasoning that aided AG Barr make a decision about 45. However, Judge Jackson said she believed Barr and his advisors had already decided not to charge 45 with a crime before he got the written advice. Instead, the memo was more strategic planning than legal reasoning. As a result, it can be made public.

Jackson’s decision adds to other criticism that federal judges and others have leveled at Barr for the way he handled the end of the Mueller investigation. There have been persistent questions about Barr’s motives for keeping documents related to the investigation – including Mueller’s findings and Barr’s reactions to them – secret, or for delaying their release.

In a 35-page opinion, Judge Jackson noted, “The agency’s redactions and incomplete explanations obfuscate the true purpose of the memorandum, and the excised portions belie the notion that it fell to the AG to make a prosecution decision or that any such decision was on the table at any time.” 

She went on to add, “The fact that [45] would not be prosecuted was a given.”

The government transparency group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has sought access to DOJ documents in this case through the Freedom of Information Act. The judge’s opinion is a part of that case.

CREW is one of several groups still seeking the release of new records from Mueller’s investigation. The specific case Jackson is hearing this week deals with documents around Barr’s decision not to charge 45. This matter is still acutely important. From the outset, 45 supporters have defaulted to bolster the assertion that Trump not being charged as evidence on its face, that he was innocent. At the very least, these new developments poke holes in that argument. As Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for CREW said, “We requested these records and filed this lawsuit due to serious doubts about the official story coming out of Barr’s DOJ. While we do not yet know what is in the memo, the Courts opinion gives us confidence that we were right to have questions.”

The 9-page memo was crafted by two top political leaders in the Justice department – Steve Engel of the Office of Legal Counsel and Ed O’Callaghan, a top adviser in the Deputy AG’s Office – the same day Barr briefed Congress about Mueller’s findings on Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump’s attempts to obstruct justice. The DOJ had argued that much of the memo should stay blacked out, because it was protected internal discussions about policy and the law. Another lawyer, Paul Colborn, had told the court the memo was meant to help Barr decide whether to prosecute 45. Engel and O’Callaghan’s memo recommended no prosecution, positing that Mueller’s findings weren’t evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

Judge Jackson, who has read the document disagreed. She concluded that the document was strategy, and not citing that in court, equated to pretending the strategy discussion didn’t exist.

The Judge issued a strongly worded opinion that, comes close to accusing the DOJ of a cover up. She noted that while officials at DOJ prepared the legal opinion that gave Barr cover not to prosecute 45, they were simultaneously emailing about a higher priority to inform Congress the President was exonerated. Mueller thoroughly  investigated several episodes of 45 trying to impede or end the inquiry into his campaign’s ties to Russia. However, he left the indictment decision to the AG and his political appointees. Still, after closing shop, Mueller later told to Congress that an ex-president could be prosecuted for obstruction after he left the office, yet Barr had already reached a definitive conclusion in 45’s case.

Judge Jackson took a close look at how that decision came about, including reviewing court statements from department lawyers, and internal emails between Barr’s top advisers. She noted, DOJ officials’ “affidavits [in court about the memo] are so inconsistent with evidence in the record, they are not worthy of credence.”

It is worth noting that another federal judge had previously slammed Barr in a public records case following the Mueller investigation, observing the attorney had a “lack of candor” that was helpful to 45 politically when the AG told Congress and announced to the public what Mueller had found, without releasing the nearly 500-page report. In conclusion, “As Many Already Knew, There’s More Than One Big Lie!”

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/2021/05/04/politics/william-barr-memo-trump-memo/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/05/politics/judge-mueller-report-barr/index.html

https://www.justice.gov/oip/foia-library/foia-processed/general_topics/obstruction_of_justice_07_01_20_revised_version/download

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/politics/obstruction-charge-trump-mueller

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/24/politics/olc-mueller

It’s time to Break It Down!

“Today, the police will kill three people. And tomorrow, the police will kill three people. And the day after that, the police will kill three people. Because on average, the police in America every day kill three people. Which amounts to about 1,000 people a year. And those people happen to disproportionately be Black people.

James Baldwin once said, ‘The most despicable thing that anyone can be is indifferent to other people’s pain.’ And so, I just ask that you please not be indifferent. Please don’t be indifferent to our pain.” –Travon Free Oscar Speech (4/25/21)

Just so we’re clear, that preamble has absolutely nothing to do with, and has no association to today’s post. It is simply one inescapable factoid that in my humble view, warrants inclusion in every conversation, every day, until or unless we re-invent that untenable narrative. But I digress.

Tomorrow will mark Joseph Robinette Biden’s 100^th day in office, as our nation’s 46^th President. Media outlets across the spectrum will invest in highlighting that point, in the days immediately preceding and following Thursday’s milestone. But why? How did this manufactured news item come to be a thing?

Ironically, it is an ode to the incomparable accomplishments of FDR in his first 100 days in office. Since then, the media has often framed the early tenure of U.S. Presidents in that light. To be sure, Mr. Biden came into office with an array of challenges, and on the wings of a host of promises. The list is longer than I will enumerate, but includes, the pandemic, vaccines, the economy, the border, Russia, China, climate change, and restoring America’s global stature.

In this era of hyper-partisanship amid our country’s political landscape, anyone who assumes the presidency with start with a large favorable constituency, but also a hefty opposition. Probably one of Biden’s most notable positive characteristics is, he is not Donald Trump. That alone, may have made the difference between winning and losing the election. Despite Trump’s hollow ringing assertion that he did not lose; the election was stolen, my own analysis leads me to conclude, many Republicans abandoned him. In several of six states Trump and his team contested after the election, Republicans were successful in other parts of the ballot, but not for President.

Joe Biden the candidate committed to attack the coronavirus by following the lead of scientists. He promised 100 million vaccinations in the first 100 days. When the nation met that goal in 58 days, Biden doubled down, and promised 200 million shots; a goal that was also exceeded. In February, the U.S., under his direction, rejoined the Paris Climate Accord. Yesterday, the CDC announced new guidelines that stated those who have been fully vaccinated can congregate outside in small groups without masks. Biden and the CDC did clarify that masks are still required in crowds.

In an instance of political derring-do; also the source of GOP chagrin, Biden and the Democrats pushed through a $1.9 stimulus package, aimed at boosting the economy, and stemming the pandemic. As a follow-up to the collective results of Biden’s initiatives, and his non-argumentative relationship with the media writ large, he recently polled a 54% approval rating. That number, while modest, in comparison to several recent presidents, was higher than his immediate predecessor attained at any time during his tenure.

But, let’s face it, now is when the real tests begin. The President has a $2.1 trillion infrastructure package on deck. Just as with the aforementioned stimulus plan, Republicans are in lockstep opposition to the bill. However, in this case, it’s likely passage of the bill will require 60 votes, rather than a simple majority of 51 votes. In addition, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, of West Virginia, and Arizona, respectively, may also opt to not support the bill. Moreover, both have already expressed opposition to killing the filibuster…which, if executed, would negate the need for the 60-vote supermajority.       

And there’s more. Biden has stood up to Putin, calling him a killer, and his administration has implemented more sanctions on Russia. Allegedly, a potential summit between the U.S. and Russia may be in the offing. Any day now, campaigns for the midterm elections will begin. Republicans have designs on retaking House, and increasing their numbers in the Senate, where they need to net only one additional seat to reclaim the majority. It remains to be seen how the future will unfold. What we know is…”In-The-Books: The First 100!”

I’m done; holla back!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/04/27/trumps-first-100-days-were-sheer-craziness-bidens-are-sheer-competence/

It’s time to Break It Down!

I’m gonna keep this short.

Yesterday, some might say, ironically, on 4/20, the jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts:

Second Degree Murder

Third Degree Murder

Second Degree Manslaughter

When asked, one-by-one, the 12 jurors acknowledged they agreed with all three counts. In summary, as required by the rules of the court, the decisions were unanimous, one and all. Sentencing is scheduled for 8 weeks from yesterday. Chauvin’s bail was revoked on the spot, and he was remanded into custody.

It has been nearly 11 months since Officer Chauvin extinguished the life of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, by applying a knee to the neck…for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. In the ensuing months, America was subjected to another long, hot summer, in large measure, due to marches and protests across the nation, spurred on by Floyd’s murder. An execution which, as fate would have it, was videotaped from start to finish.

The slogan, “Defund the police,” was injected into the country’s vernacular. At its essence, it supports divesting funds from police departments and reallocating them to non-policing forms of public safety and community support, such as social services, youth services, housing, education, healthcare and other community resources. By most, but not all, accounts, it does not mean eliminating police departments.

A number of State and local governments have proposed or implemented reform legislation to change policing strategies and techniques. The House of Representatives has introduced federal legislation in George Floyd’s name. At first blush, this year, 4/20 was a good day, and not just for those who support legalizing Marijuana. Still, I’m uninclined to celebrate. First, despite the events of yesterday in Minneapolis, Chauvin’s conviction is an aberration, the exception to the rule. If there is anything history has shown us, it is that too often, yesterday’s outcome does not happen. In retrospect, there are too many instances when a law enforcement officer kills a frequently unarmed, too often black, man and subsequently evades conviction, or even a trial.

Yesterday, the stars aligned in just the right way, and jurisprudence was properly executed. I cannot; no, I will not, call this justice. Accountability, maybe, but not justice. And it’s just the beginning. Until yesterday’s outcome is the norm, and not the exception, we have more work to do. Since March 29^th, the day Chauvin’s trial began, an average of 3 people a day have died at the hands of law enforcement. And, as quiet as it’s kept, the specter of an appeal still looms. To wit…”Guilty On All Counts: But Hold That Celebration!”

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.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/chauvin-verdict-george-floyd/618651/

https://people.com/crime/police-killed-64-people-since-start-derek-chauvin-trial/

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/derek-chauvin-trial-04-20-21/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

As I am wont to do, I have chosen to share a story that resonates with me. It’s about a family who for all practical purposes, had its property taken, nearly a century ago. The family had been threatened and intimidated for years, by residents and Klansmen, before the City of Manhattan Beach took the property, using eminent domain, paying them a fraction of what the beach property was worth. A lot like contemporary instances of law enforcement officers killing unarmed Black men and women, this was a common experience of Black property owners, who owned desirable properties, located across America.    

A well-worn figure of speech in popular culture is mi casa es su casa. Roughly, that translates into, my house, is your house, or into, what’s mine is yours. It’s fair to say the City of Manhattan Beach reversed that aphorism in acquiring the property of Charles and Willa Bruce.

The gist of the story is that Charles and Willa, a Black couple, owned a beach resort in Manhattan Beach, a scenic town in Southern California. The Bruce family had a thriving business at the beach that included a dance hall and a lodge. Strict segregation codes at the time, as well as harassment from White neighbors, and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) expedited a quick and rocky end to the flourishing business. The city’s eminent domain claim ushered in the final blow. Due to the collapse of the business, and the taking of the property, The Bruce family relocated to Los Angeles where they lived an impoverished life, and where they died within 5 years.

Los Angeles County officials have initiated actions to provide justice for the descendants of the Bruce Family for the California dream they had stolen from them. The County officials are working in conjunction with State lawmakers to return the property, estimated to be worth about $75 million, to the family. Janice Hahn, County Supervisor, assessed that, “Generations of their descendants … almost certainly would have been millionaires if they had been able to keep their property and their successful business.”

At the outset of their beach property ownership experience, Bruce’s Beach extended to Black families an environ in which they could enjoy the rich taste of California life. The couple paid $1,225 for the land in 1912. They built several facilities, including a café and changing rooms.

Some of their White neighbors resented the Black beachgoers and the popularity of the resort. White Supremacists and Klan members posted “no trespassing” signs and slashed tires so Black families would avoid the area. The KKK attempted to set the property on fire, and they succeeded in burning down a local Black family’s nearby home, according to county officials.

Hahn shared with reporters that when scare tactics didn’t work, Manhattan Beach resorted to eminent domain. The couple was paid roughly $14,125. The land was left vacant for decades. The property is now a park with a lawn, parking lot and a lifeguard training facility. Manhattan Beach transferred ownership of the property to the state and Los Angeles County in 1995.

Manhattan Beach city officials have acknowledged and condemned what happened, though they stopped short of an apology. They made the following statement:

“The Manhattan Beach of today is not the Manhattan Beach of one hundred years ago. The community and population of the City of Manhattan Beach are loving, tolerant and welcoming to all. We reject racism, hate, intolerance and exclusion. Today’s residents are not responsible for the actions of others 100 years ago.”

 The population of the city today is less than 1% Black.

Losing Bruce’s Beach was devastating. The family struggled to buy beachfront property elsewhere. As a result, Charles and Willa Bruce moved to South Los Angeles and became laborers, according to family spokesperson Duane Shepard. He added, they suffered “physical, mental, social and emotional stress and died within five years after leaving Manhattan Beach.

Although the bill is not expected to face much opposition at the legislative level, it has been met with resistance from some in the neighborhood. One person who did not give her name expressed her concerns at the county’s news conference on Friday.

“I’ve been lucky enough to live in this beautiful spot for over 50 years. I’ve never been discriminated against by this community, but it hurts me that the people here are trying to spoil what we have here.”

One option the family is considering is leasing the land back to the county. With this option, the Bruce descendants would be landlords and the county would pay rent to use the property to maintain the existing park and lifeguard facility, for example.

Another alternative the descendants are considering is an offer to accept an outright payout from the county, the family spokesperson told CNN. Details of that specific amount have not been disclosed. The family may also elect to simply reclaim the property and do as they wish with developing plans, a move that would require various steps to achieve local officials’ approval.

As state Sen. Steven Bradford, a coauthor of the legislation, noted, the story of Charles and Willa Bruce is not unique in California.

“Black-owned properties experienced tremendous amounts of hatred, harassment, hostility and violence at the hand of the Ku Klux Klan, who cold-bloodedly threatened the Bruces and other families who dared to enjoy their property.”

The details of how this story unfolded, were repeated more times than we know, across this country. It actually appears that this case, unlike too many others, is on its way to a long overdue happy ending. It’s too late for Charles and Willa Bruce. But hopefully, their descendants will reap the benefits of their legacy of foresight, courage, hard work, and diligence. The State of California is poised to make right this god-awful example of…”Su Casa Es Mi Casa…Or Words To That Effect!”

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/2021/04/12/us/bruces-beach-los-angeles-county-black-family/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

You already know, I’m a fan of the game. If you don’t know…now you know. The NCAA Men’s Basketball season ended Monday night, as the Baylor Bears facilitated an inglorious conclusion to what for much of the season had appeared to be Gonzaga’s inexorable march toward the Title. The Bulldogs of Gonzaga entered the contest, having amassed a 31-0 record. They were attempting to be the first collegiate men’s basketball team to complete the season, including the title, undefeated. At the end of the night, they were denied. Baylor won the game in what for all intents and purposes was dominating fashion. Up by 19 with ten minutes to go in the first half, they led by ten at the half. They went on to lead by 20, in the second half, and won by 19. Congratulations Baylor.

Of course, I’m a Tar Heel. So, while Monday’s Title Game marked the culmination of the college hoops season, it was the second most significant college basketball event of the day for me. What, you may ask, was the first? The University of North Carolina Tar Heels, my alma mater, named a new men’s head basketball coach.

Monday afternoon at 2:44 p.m., insidecarolina.com sent a text message informing boosters and fans (like me) that the UNC Board of Trustees was holding an emergency meeting at 3:00 p.m., to review the terms and conditions of a prospective employment contract to approve Huber Davis as Carolina’s new basketball coach. To be honest, it was cool that, unlike last year, there was an NCAA Tournament, a Final Four, and the crowning of an NCAA Champion. But, after that text message, and the ensuing machinations and press conferences that followed, I could have been OK, skipping the Title Game.

On April 1^st, Coach Roy Williams announced his retirement, after 18 seasons at Carolina, which followed 15 at Kansas University. After two exceedingly tough years for Carolina basketball, there was a lot of noise emanating throughout Tar Heel Nation regarding the question of what’s wrong with our Heels, including a fair number of voices suggesting a coaching change was in order. The noise notwithstanding, I seriously doubt many people expected the venerable coach to step down. In fact, given his reputed stubbornness, I personally felt Coach Williams’ most likely response would be to double down, come back, and lead the Heels to an incredible rebound season, not unlike what his mentor Dean Smith did in ’97. Alas, it was not to be. Once I was forced to accept that it was not an April Fools prank, I transitioned into next coach mode. Let’s do this!

Back in 2012, when Coach Williams asked ESPN Analyst, and former Tar Heel player Hubert Davis to join him on the bench as an assistant coach, there was rampant speculation, perhaps some of it informed, that the move was a prelude to elevating Davis to the Head Coach spot, whenever Coach Williams retired. At the time, most folks, or so it seemed, knew that. However, when the moment actually arrived, there seemed to be significant pushback to the idea of Coach Davis. The vibe I got was that Davis was Coach Williams’ personal pick, in much the same way Coach Guthridge was the pick by Coach Smith back in 1998.

To make a long story short, there is a concept known as the Carolina Way. The premise is steeped in the notion of “family,” and the idea that as openings occur at UNC, every effort will be made to select a Carolina guy as the next man up. To wit, Coach Guthridge, who had been a Dean Smith assistant coach and protege for decades, succeeded Coach Smith. Matt Doherty, who played for Coach Smith, succeeded Coach Guthridge. Roy Williams, who played JV ball during Coach Smith’s tenure, then apprenticed as an assistant coach under Coach Smith succeeded Coach Doherty. Now, Coach Davis, who played for Coach Smith, and served as an assistant under Coach Williams, emerges as the head basketball coach, at the University of North Carolina.

Coach Davis’ resume includes:

Played 4 seasons at UNC (1988-92)

Second Team All-ACC – 1992

Coached by Dean Smith

43.5% 3-pt FG (best in school history)

20^th pick in the 1992 NBA Draft

Spent 12 seasons in the NBA )1992-2004

44.1% 3-pt FG (3rd best in NBA History)

Spent 7 years as an ESPN Sports Analyst

Received the 2008 Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award

Spent the last 9 seasons as an assistant to Roy Williams (2012-2021)

Coached the UNC JV Team

1^st Black head coach in program history

I will speak only for myself; I’m delighted. GO HEELS! Hubert Davis: He’s A Tar Heel…Coach!

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.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31199144/sources-hubert-davis-expected-hired-north-carolina-basketball-coach-replacing-roy-williams

It’s time to Break It Down!

Last Thursday evening, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed sweeping legislation, which many argue will make voting harder for people of color. In fact, numerous voting activists contend the law will also serve as an impediment for poor and working people. Not surprisingly, Republicans, writ large, dispute this premise, and insist, their efforts, 253 bills in 43 states, so far, are not aimed at voter suppression, but rather, are designed to bolster integrity in the voting process. 

The GOP certainly provides an enthusiastic retort. However, methinks they protest too much. The genesis of this scorched earth spate of anti-voting bills can be tied directly to “The Big Lie;” the assertion that Donald Trump lost the 2020 Election as a result of wide scale Democratic and foreign-influenced voter fraud. This notion was repeatedly debunked. More than 60 courts, many Republican Judges, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected, or refused to hear the specious claims. Republican officials, including Governors and Secretaries of State repeatedly verified and affirmed the integrity of their state’s elections…Brian Kemp among them.

So, let’s put this one in succinct fashion. Kemp actually had the signing ceremony photographed. The picture, one for the ages. It captured an image of an imperious Kemp, seated in an executive chair at a conference table in a stately room, flanked by six White male legislators, three on either side, with a photograph of Calloway Plantation, in Washington, Georgia. It is currently a museum, but was formerly, a slave working plantation, For a law reputed to facilitate Black and poor voter suppression, it is difficult to fathom more powerful optics.

The story would be resonant, even if it ended there. But that was not the end. Outside of the frame of the photograph, specifically, on the other side of the door, a second picture was developing. In this photo, Two White Georgia law enforcement officers were arresting Georgia State Representative Park Cannon, a Black female, for trying to gain entry to the signing and announcement ceremony.

Optics are critical; so is timing. Beneath the cover of darkness, seven masked men (yes, they were adhering to Covid protocols…imagine that), celebrated the signing of legislation that included such novel supposed bright ideas as making it illegal to provide snacks or water to people waiting in line to vote. Can you think of a more effective way to fuel suspicion among voting rights advocates and Black Americans that what Georgia Republicans did last Thursday wasn’t lawmaking. There is a robust argument that it was the 21st-century political equivalent of strongarm Jim Crow tactics to prevent Black citizens from voting.

It’s been said that a single image can supercharge a movement and change public opinion. Kemp and company gave us, not one, but two. “If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, Kemp’s Plantation Lullaby = A Thousand Words Times Two!”

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/2021/03/28/us/georgia-callaway-plantation-painting-trnd/index.html

https://www.newsweek.com/georgia-governor-brian-kemp-signed-bill-slave-plantation-picture-jim-crow-1579220

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callaway_Plantation

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/26/politics/georgia-voting-law-two-photos/index.html

It’s time to Break It Down!

If 2020 is destined to be remembered as the Year of COVID-19, 2021, early as it is, may very well be recalled at the Year of the Capitol Insurrection. Last week, and again this week, we’ve seen two more mass shootings on the American landscape. In the parlance of contemporary pop culture, that might be enough for some to turn the page. With all due respect to the victims of those tragedies, a story unto itself, I’m not ready to move on.

On January 6, thousands of people assembled at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., for a Trump Rally. Afterward, many of them, inspired by rally rhetoric, changed their venue, and stormed the Capitol, in an unprecedented attack that will go down in the annals of history as the first time the venerable Citadel was breached since August 24, 1814, when invading British troops burned it. On that occasion, only a torrential rainstorm prevented it from being reduced to rubble. The January atrocity was not that devastating to the structure, but it was historic in another specific and notable way. The invaders, “Americans,” who built gallows on the grounds, broke windows and doors, scaled walls, and once inside, took down American Flags. Some of the attackers carried their own Flags…Trump Flags, and Confederate Flags. This is the stuff of never before executed sedition and terrorism. Five people died, as a result, including a Capitol Police Officer.

Trump and his team’s fiery oratory on January 6^th were not the genesis of that day’s insurrection. Mr. Trump had promoted for weeks, a rally in Washington for that day, the day Congress was scheduled to certify Joe Biden as President. But even before that, Attorney Sidney Powell had joined Trump in promoting insidious conspiracy theories about election fraud, and a non-existent connection with the late Hugo Chavez and Venezuelan, Cuban, and Chinese election interference. Trump, Powell, and Rudy Giuliani were part of a group that filed over 60 lawsuits attempting to stop the count, or overturn election results in at least 6 states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All but one of the suits were tossed; many by courts with Republican majorities, including the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and 3 Trump appointees. 

Caught up in the throes of defending against a more than $1 billion slander and libel lawsuit, filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Powell changed her tune. Using a defense similar to one employed by Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, in defense of a slander lawsuit against him, brought by Karen McDougal, Powell’s lawyers argued no reasonable person would have believed her. In Carlson’s case, U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, ruled that: 

The “’general tenor” of the show should then inform a viewer that (Carlson) is not ‘stating actual facts’ about topics he discusses and is instead engaging in ‘exaggeration’ and ‘non-literal commentary.’” 

Yesterday, in her defense, Powell’s attorneys said:

“Indeed, Plaintiffs themselves characterize the statements at issue as ‘wild accusations’ and ‘outlandish claims.’ They are repeatedly labelled ‘inherently improbable’ and even ‘impossible.’ Such characterizations of the allegedly defamatory statements further support Defendants’ position that reasonable people would not accept such statements as fact but view them only as claims that await testing by the courts through the adversary process.”

In summary, no reasonable person should be expected to believe the bovine excrement Powell was spouting. And guess what; more than 60 courts did not. Neither did election officials in those aforementioned 6 states. But wait! Who did? Apparently, Donald Trump, 67% of republicans, hundreds of GOP state legislators, and a majority of GOP U.S. Senators and members of the House of Representatives. I would add Tucker Carlson…but you can’t believe what he says, so who knows?

Erstwhile reasonable people might hope that upon finally hearing Powell’s defense/response/explanation, many of those Republican citizens and lawmakers might default to a reasonable man/woman standard, and let go of those ‘wild accusations,’ ‘outlandish,’ ‘inherently improbable’ and impossible’ assertions, because, they are in fact, wild, outlandish, inherently improbable, and, in the final analysis, impossible. Hope springs eternal. No Reasonable Person: A Sad Commentary on the Fictile Trump Coalition!

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/2021/03/22/politics/sidney-powell-dominion-lawsuit-election-fraud/index.html

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917747123/you-literally-cant-believe-the-facts-tucker-carlson-tells-you-so-say-fox-s-lawye