ProfD

Since the beginning of time, some people have been willing to do anything for profit at the expense of their soul. Granted, there are some folks who truly believe in the BS they've been sold and will happily sell it to others. As it relates to AfroAmericans, there will always be those who believe the ice is colder on the other side.

Wealthy white folks do not have to be motivated by racism because they benefit from it. Same goes for their monopolies in every aspect of business and life in general. From the Fortune 500 and as documented in the pages of Forbes magazine, white folks have everything on lockdown here in America and around the world too. Surely, there's the illusion of a handful of non-white folks getting a few crumbs off the table but if/when they decide to turn off the spigot, we're all hosed. White supremacy is so firmly entrenched in the way our world operates that dismantling and replacing it with a system of justice is the only way non-white people will truly thrive in all aspects of life.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/donald-trump-meets-kyle-rittenhouse-prosecutorial-misconduct-kenosha-trial It appears the hero treatment is just getting started. Meeting with the former POTUS. Rumored to be offered congressional internships. Money pouring in from white supremacists. I hope this dog whistle doesn't turn into a bullhorn.

@Troy and @Mzuri, I know y'all saw that ending my sentence. Likewise, I could found something else to do or watch. I figure it was meant for me to see their induction into the country club.

When @Pioneer1 mentioned taking a break in that thread, I asked him to return ASAP. As far as forum participation goes, there seems to be folks who enjoy reading it based on the view numbers. Maybe they're enlightened and/or entertained by the regular contributors. I joined because of the ongoing dialog between @Pioneer1, @Cynique, @Troy, @Mzuri, @Delano @Chevdove, @daniellegfny to name a few. I know folks get tired of reading some of the same ole rhetoric or grievance or whatever. But, the conversations are still interesting and entertaining in proportion to participant perspectives. I'm enjoying my arm chair around here. So, even if I'm one hand clapping, I'll keep bringing up topics, adding my 2 cent narrative and looking forward to reading everyone else too. Come on back to those I mentioned above and anyone lurking. The forum can be as lively as we make it.

I usually do not watch music award shows but insomnia forced me to watch this one. it was great to see the following AfroAmericans recognized for their contributions to music: Tina Turner Jay-Z Charley Patton Gil Scott-Heron LL Cool J Billy Preston Clarence Avant The house band was led by music director Adam Blackstone and they were on fire. The fantastic Jennifer Hudson would have made Aretha Franklin proud with her rendition of "Natural Woman". I think Tina Turner was proud of H.E.R. and Mickey Guyton singing songs in tribute to her excellence. It's a long show but thanks to technology, it's possible to catch the highlights and skip the filler.

The application of the laws especially in terms of sentencing can be viewed as a form of racial subjugation. Shady practices in housing, education and employment along with zoning and redistricting laws and voter suppression are also forms of it. We do not have to share the beliefs of white supremacists but we should be keenly aware of what they believe and how they always operate to the benefit of themselves. We should be able to walk and chew at the same time. However, the thing that keeps AfroAmericans from shaping our own world view is confusion as it relates to white supremacy. It's the elephant in the room.

I find it incredulous the defense would try to use the fists as a weapon trick. That hasn't worked since the early 1900s. I think the defense knows they're going to lose the case. They were just grasping at straws in closing.

A mural is better than nothing. Glad the native sons have been recognized. Definitely check out uncle Charlie if/when he's performing nearby. The man still has that voice and he puts on a helluva show.

I believe race is a reality until the system of white supremacy is abolished. People do not have to group themselves as white or non-white. They already know it.

The outcome of this particular case wouldn't have led to riots because the victims were white. BLM had nothing to do with the jury and/or any real interest in this case no more or less than the rest of us. It's easier for many people to rely on speculation and fake news than it is to research and fact check credible sources.

@Mzuri, capital punishment is not an option in this case. Life imprisonment is the maximum these defendants are facing. The defense attorneys will do everything they can to make the victim look bad. The witness testimony has actually helped the prosecution. I believe those clowns will be found guilty. It remains to be seen how much prison time they will actually receive.

@Troy, you already know I will be ordering that book as an early b'day gift to myself.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/11/19/prosecutors-reject-plea-deal-for-defendant-in-ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-attorney-says/?sh=107f7b741e97 It was rumored that one of the defense attorneys asked for a plea deal. There's nothing to corroborate it. I think we'll get a verdict before the Black Friday sales begin.

The verdict is in and the defendant has been found not guilty on all charges.

About 3 years ago, Viola Davis narrated "The Last Defense" which details the case. There's definitely room for doubt. Either way, as @Troy mentioned, representation makes a huge difference in criminal cases. Too many folks get imprisoned for being poor and black.

Agreed. The system needs to be fixed before handing down capital punishment and prison sentences in general especially when disproportionately applied to people of color. Yesterday, they released a 75-year old man who was convicted as a juvenile but sentenced to life in prison. That man did 57 years in the penalty box. Hundreds of murderers have been convicted and released in that amount of time. It should not take the Innocence Project and celebrities to get wrongful convictions overturned. The Department of Justice needs to fix the broken system.

With multiple charges, there's a lot for the jury to deliberate. Taking their time is a good sign that they are considering all possibilites. Still, I do not believe he will go to prison. White supremacists will further hail him a hero either way.

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/18/1056753071/activists-call-on-oklahoma-governor-to-stop-julius-jones-execution Apparently it doesn't happen too often in Oklahoma but a man hours away from the needle got a stay of execution from the governor. I didn't realize Oklahoma has the highest incarceration rate of AfroAmericans and a strong record when it comes to carrying out executions. My 1st thought is how or why a black person would live in, er, commit any crime in the state of Oklahoma knowing the chances of being locked up are guaranteed. Nonetheless, while the man's life has been spared, he will still spend the rest of it as Jay-Z rapped, locked up, behind bars. The family can also breathe a sigh of relief for their loved one knowing he's stilll alive and they can keep sending money for cookies and candy bars.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-shooting-gun-b1959467.html So, this dude just gonna show up outside the courthouse armed with a rifle. Police politely ask him for ID and whether or not has a license to carry. He casually says no regarding the license. Well, in Wisconsin it's illegal to have a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. The sheriff deputies politely escort the dude back to his truck to put his firearm away. That's why I don't think police need to be defunded. They just have to look like the folks they've been sworn to serve and protect.

Zimmerman also acted as a vigilante. The police told him to let that situation go but instead he decided to be judge, jury and executioner. He should be dead too. Rioting and protesting accomplishes nothing because it hasn't stopped folks from getting killed by racists and vigilantes. That's why I support everyone having the right to bear arms if that's what it takes to have a fair fight. if the protestors in Kenosha had been strapped that day, we would be having a totally different discussion.

Castle doctrine (defense of habitation) allows us to use deadly force in protecting our homes. That's not applicable to this case. The police force is supposed to respond when folks riot, burn and loot. If the situation is beyond police control, the national guard is the next line of defense. There's no reason for a teenager to pack a weapon and roam the streets. That reads like someone looking for trouble.

Looks like an AfroAmerican young lady has thrown her hat into the ring: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2021/10/trump-endorsed-kristina-karamo-leads-fundraising-among-republican-sos-candidates-but-trails-benson.html She's already been endorsed by the former POTUS. I doubt that she will become Michigan Secretary of State. But, I'd imagine the GOP will find a landing spot for her if she stays the course.

Most states do not have laws that allow folks to shoot someone for punching them in the face or stomping on their head. Again, nobody appointed that boy to protect anything. He wasn't deputized to be law enforcement. He had no business being there with an assault rifle.

I haven't heard a reasonable explanation of why that boy was walking around with an AR-15 at a peaceful protest. He showed up and appointed himself vigilante. Self-defense is meeting a threat with similar force. Even if somebody went upside his head, there should have been fist-fight. No guns. Nobody would be dead. At least, that's how we settled our differences when I was growing up. All fists. No weapons. Don't get me started on the fake crying he did during his testimony. That boy needs to go to prison. Maybe there he'll learn how to fight.