Editorials

Collectively, they have the financial resources needed to build and staff a cultural and educational center where the young people could be taught the skills they need, physically and psychologically, to promote and protect the vital interests of themselves, their families, and their people. It has been said that there are three kinds of people in the world-- those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what is happening.

The trial of Derek Chauvin is not over. The jury has not rendered a verdict. Much of the world anxiously awaits the outcome. Both sides of the case must be completed, and the jury must then decide who, in fact, is responsible for the death of George Floyd. Essentially, they must decide if the allegation of passing a counterfeit $20 note is sufficiently criminal to deserve the death penalty immediately administered without benefit of judge or jury.

Biden is fulfilling his promise to bring professional diversity to courts that are dominated by former prosecutors and corporate lawyers. Ketanji Brown Jackson and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi both have experience as public defenders.

The act would set national standards for police behavior. It bans the use of chokeholds of various sorts, like that used to kill George Floyd. It bans no-knock warrants that led to the shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville. It restricts the transfer of military weaponry to police forces. Federal assistance would be conditioned on local police forces requiring the use of body and car cameras, as well as anti-discrimination policies and training. It restricts the qualified immunity doctrine that shields police from civil liability.

Brian Kemp is a self-serving politician who will discriminate to maintain his power. True to his discriminatory self-interests, the signing was done behind closed doors with six white cronies observing.

Always remember, that the strategy for beating this thing centers on something known as herd immunity. I’m sure you’ve heard that word by now. The is when the entire population is protected from the virus because enough of the general population has either been vaccinated or previously infected by the virus and developed natural antibodies. Needless to say, with a virus as deadly as COVID-19, we certainly don’t want to sit and watch enough folks get infected and hope enough of them don’t die to contribute to our herd immunity goal. That means we have to rely on the success of the vaccine campaign.

The fact that Chauvin has been indicted and is facing trial is itself reason for hope. But my hope is tempered by history. As Black Americans know all too well, our system often fails to hold law enforcement accountable for killing Black people—even when the killing is on video.

Three Aurora, CO, police officers decided that Elijah’s appearance and conduct was “suspicious.” As they called to him, Elijah was listening to music on his headphones and “ignored” their calls. The police restrained Elijah, wrestled him to the ground, and placed him in a chokehold.

The American Rescue Plan also addresses inequities in access to pandemic resources by making significant investments into small, Black businesses by providing $50 billion for new and existing small business relief programs. This legislation bolsters the Paycheck Protection Program with an additional $7.25 billion in funding to support small businesses and non-profits that were previously excluded.

Let’s be clear about what is going down. Trump’s big lie was refuted by official recounts, by Georgia’s secretary of state and election officials, and by Trump’s own attorney general. Despite Trump’s direct intimidation, the Republican secretary of state stated the truth: There was no evidence of fraud. The election — and later Senate run-off elections — featured a dramatic increase in turnout with the votes cast and counted fairly.