Is torture the American way?

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Apr 17, 2014 - 10:13:34 AM

What's your opinion on this article?
Printer Friendly Page
Whether a ‘war on crime’ a ‘war on drugs’ or a ‘war on terror’ the country’s legacy of dehumanizing torture is being revealed
Related Report: Bringing human rights home to U.S. (FCN, 04-10-2014)

Protesters dressed as Guantanamo detainees march through the streets of Washington, D.C. Photo: Amnesty International

(FinalCall.com) - Torture, extrajudicial killings, unlawful detention, harassment, beatings, sexual assault, and humiliation are universally recognized as human rights abuses.
Typically, China, Iran, North Korea and Cuba are countries named when America’s political leaders discuss nations they believe are guilty of human rights violations.
As the country descends into a more heavily monitored surveillance state, many activists and victims of abuse are raising their voices calling America and her political leaders out  by exposing their hypocrisy and failure to end misdeeds taking place on American soil. In fact, many activists believe America is among the worst offenders.

“The United States of America has a reputation for talking about atrocities in other countries, but what about here in our own back yard? asked Darrell Cannon, a torture survivor, speaking to reporters April 4 prior to a rally and march through downtown Chicago. “Atrocities have been committed right here in Chicago, Illinois by the Chicago police department,” he added.
Is it a human rights violation when one loses family members while in prison for a crime they did not commit? That’s what happened to Mr. Cannon. He vividly remembers the night of November 2, 1983, when he was taken to a dark remote location and a shotgun was forced into his mouth splitting his lip. After being brutally beaten, the officers conducted a mock execution and later used an electric cattle prod to shock his genitals. They were successful in forcing him into a false  confession. As a result, Mr. Cannon was given a sentence of natural life in prison.
He served 24 years, nine of them in Tamms Supermax prison with no external contact. During that time, his mother, grandmother and several other family members died. After decades in jail, evidence of torture involving his case came to light. He was brought back to court and all previous charges were dropped resulting in his release on April 30, 2007.

“We need to take responsibility for what has happened in the past and what is happening now,” Mr. Cannon said. “It is hard to talk about having been tortured in the manner we have, but yet and still, it is a necessity,” he added.

A recent report by the United Nations Human Rights Committee was highly critical of the U.S. in the areas of widespread surveillance, international drone use, and torture.

The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) voted to declassify files related to the secret detention program operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) shortly following September 11, 2001.

The Central Intelligence Agency concealed details related to the intensity and severity of its enhanced interrogation methods, overstated terrorism plots and also attributed intelligence gathered from detainees to the efficacy of harsh techniques when in fact, they had already received actionable intelligence prior to enacting those techniques.

Chicago: Abu Ghraib of the Midwest?
Because of its sordid history of abuse, Chicago is called by many the Abu Ghraib of the Midwest.

Former Chicago Police Department Commander Jon Burge, was convicted in June 2011 of two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury stemming from comments made during a 2003 civil case. Mr. Burge said he was unaware of any coercive interrogation techniques, physical abuse, or torture of any suspects in the Chicago Police Department’s Area 2 headquarters.

Chicago police torture survivor Anthony Holmes speaks at a April 4 rally Photo: Amnesty International

Evidence proved that Mr. Burge himself as well as others under his command conducted mock executions, used electric shock devices and suffocation on Black men in police custody.
Mr. Burge was fired in 1993, however, he continued to collect his $36,000 a year pension. The city of Chicago has paid out over $20 million in settlements related to this reign of terror and according to G. Flint Taylor of the Chicago-based People’s Law Office, city, county, state and federal taxpayers have already paid more than $100 million during decades of investigating Mr. Burge and his henchmen.

Illinois Congressman Danny Davis seeks to pass the “Law Enforcement Torture Prevention Act” which would criminalize acts of torture committed by police and would eliminate the statute of limitations which allowed Mr. Burge and many others to evade justice in many torture cases.

The fight for justice also includes a reparations ordinance calling for financial compensation, public memorials about the cases, a formal apology, psychological counseling and vocational training for the victims. The ordinance also calls for history lessons regarding this painful period of Chicago’s history to be integrated into the curriculum of the Chicago Public School system.

“Burge abused his power and betrayed the public trust by abusing suspects in his custody, and then by lying under oath to cover up what he and other officers had done,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division back in 2011.

Although former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald, said Cmdr. Burge’s being sentenced to 54 months in prison delivered “a measure of justice,” many victims of torture and their lawyers say more needs to be done.

Attorney Joey Mogul of the People’s Law Office counts many Chicago torture victims as her clients. She says the story is still being written and men still languish behind bars and uncompensated after being viciously tortured.


“We have overwhelming evidence that absolutely establishes beyond any reasonably doubt that is further confirmed by Burge’s conviction that this pattern and practice of racist torture occurred,” said Atty. Mogul. “We are now at the point where we have to ask today, what are we going to do to do right by the torture survivors?”
Atty. Mogul said she is aware of 19 torture victims still behind bars, but realistically, the true number of torture victims may never be known.

Mr. Cannon said he will never forgive those who brutalized him, but he does see justice on the horizon.

“It was a heartbreaking situation that came about, yet justice is beginning to prevail in all of these matters,” said Mr. Cannon. “It is all of our duties to see to it that justice does prevail,” he added.

Anthony Holmes was arrested and tortured in May 1973 directly by Mr. Burge. Mr. Holmes had his hands and ankles handcuffed to an electric shock box and a plastic bag placed over his head. He was repeatedly shocked, suffocated and passed out. Ultimately, he also confessed to a crime he did not commit. He believes the legal system let him and other torture victims down. Yes, many were members of street organizations and had troubled pasts, however, they did not deserve to be brutalized, he noted.

 “After so long I finally got a little justice when I testified against Burge and the way he tortured me,” said Mr. Holmes. “We couldn’t do anything to prevent it. They had a chance to help us but they didn’t because we were from where we were from. I’m not saying all of us were good guys or bad guys, all I’m saying is that we deserve justice just like anybody else,” he added.

What happened to Mr. Cannon and Mr. Holmes occurred decades ago, however, recent protests in Albuquerque, New Mexico show police brutality problems still exist, not to mention the strident demonstrations targeting the New York Police Department’s “Stop and Frisk” policy. Activists say “Stop and Frisk” leads to torture and mass surveillance because it dehumanizes and degrades others, making it easier to deny them human rights.

In the latest example of law enforcement impropriety, an investigation showed  officers within the Los Angeles Police Department tampered with in car audio recording equipment in an effort to evade monitoring. One inspection by investigators found half of the 80 patrol cars in one division were missing antennas. The LAPD has a long history of ethical violations.

In remarks April 10, Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels  announced the U.S. Department of Justice found that members of the Albuquerque Police Department in a majority of officer involved shootings resulting in fatalities between the 2009 and 2012 used excessive force in an unconstitutional manner.  Additionally, officers also used their non-lethal options—such as Tasers which discharge 50,000 volts of electric charge—improperly “against people who were passively resisting and non-threatening or who were unable to comply with orders due to their mental state.”

“We found that officers used deadly force against people who did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious harm to officers or others, and against people who posed a threat only to themselves. In fact, sometimes it was the conduct of the officers themselves that heightened the danger and escalated the need to use force,” said Atty. Jocelyn Samuels. “Indeed, we found that encounters between police officers and persons with mental illness or in crisis too frequently resulted in a use of force or a higher level of force than necessary.”

Many reasons have been given for the excessive use of force problems within police department’s across the country. With the increased militarization and urban warfare tactical units being established in cities across America, it is possible many war veterans are trigger happy and may have learned torture methods during their tours of duty abroad. Rogue elements within these police departments may be using what they’ve learned abroad in urban patrol areas, activists said.

A war paradigm
Zeke Johnson, director of Amnesty International USA’s Security and Human Rights program said the problem in the U.S. is the existence of a “war paradigm” leading to overreach by political and military officials.

“The first root cause I think to all this is that the U.S. continues to believe that it is at war with a motley association of armed groups and because it is at war, the government thinks it can deny the application of international human rights law to its counterterrorism efforts,” said Mr. Johnson.

If White Christians had carried out 9/11, there would not have been a torture program nor an indefinite detention program, Mr. Johnson noted.
Lieutenant Colonel Sterling Thomas is defense counsel for Pakistani Ammar al Baluchi, one of the 9/11 defendants being held in Guantanamo Bay.  He was captured in 2003, and has been held in Guantanamo since 2006. Lt. Col. Thomas said his client who  is considered a “high value” was held at a “black site” unable to communicate with family members. A “black site” is a location where an unacknowledged or secret operation or program is conducted, however, recently, the term has gained notoriety describing the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret prisons generally operating outside of U.S. territories or legal jurisdiction.

“As a prosecutor, I’m appalled at many of the things I’ve seen my government do,” said Lt. Col. Thomas who has been assigned to Mr. al-Baluchi’s case since 2012.

He recalled a time when a member of an intelligence agency turned off the audio feed during a hearing simply because they didn’t like what one of the defense attorneys was saying. That is not transparency nor does it demonstrate a commitment to fairness and justice, he said.
“It’s that kind of thing that if we don’t awaken more people to the way this commission is being played out, it will continue,” he said. “You have to wonder, is there really someone on the other side who cares about this being a transparency affair, or is it just lip service?” he asked.


Investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill, author of “Dirty Wars: The World Is A Battlefield” and “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army” is an expert on the subject of the American government’s covert operations across the globe and domestic intrusion.

Much of this includes targeting whistleblowers and journalists in order to prevent the next Edward Snowden, said Mr. Scahill.

It is the responsibility of the public and independent media to keep the government and military in check, Scahill said. While journalists are being detained and killed in Yemen, Mexico and Syria, another type of war is aimed at journalists in the U.S. consisting of threats and systematic harassment of journalists and their sources.

“In this country, the war on journalism and journalists comes in a different form. It is not that they are bumping off journalists, it is that they are spying on journalists,” said Mr. Scahill during a recent talk at the Chicago Cultural Center.

“They are tracking metadata of reporters who are going aggressively at the CIA or National Security Agency or aspects of the military or corporations that service the military and the CIA,” said Mr. Scahill. “They are trying to determine, who are we talking to that they don’t want us talking to.”

Lt. Col. Thomas also said there are obstructionist efforts taking place in possible efforts to prevent certain damaging information from being brought to light.
“There is a government policy that is being enacted in how they are dealing with these intelligence community issues—deny, degrade and delay,” he said.

The Guantanamo Bay saga has been going on now for 13 years, and they are still in pre-trial hearings. Not only do those in captivity suffer, but so do the families of those who perished on 9/11, Lt. Col. Thomas said.

“We’re at thirteen years for a reason—because they can’t pull their case together. Because they can’t get their act together. Because they’ve chosen a system that was meant to hide their behavior—torture,” said Lt. Col. Thomas.

According to the “Guantanamo Docket” published and updated regularly by the New York Times, there are 154 currently detained in Guantanamo, however nearly 60 are actually cleared to either be released, or sent back to their countries of origin, but are still being detained for unspecified reasons.

To many, that is why Guantanamo Bay remains the most egregious and pressing human rights offense in the U.S.

Dr. Faten Hassan, lives in New York and is the director of the  American Islamic Committee for Woman and Child. She said her group and others are obligated to protest torture and other human rights abuses no matter where they occur. Unfortunately, abuse of authority by law enforcement officials in Chicago, Albuquerque and New York is no different than what is going on in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Burma and Central Africa.

“We are witnessing the daily saddening events of killing, detention, torture and the violation of all human rights of civilians everywhere,” said Dr. Hassan. “We have to stay, we have to fight, we have to speak up,” she added.

Ethics, Morality and the Struggle for Black Liberation (Part 2)

by William P. Muhammad

“The black bourgeoisie, as we have seen, has created a world of make-believe to shield itself from the harsh economic and social realities of American life.” (E. Franklin Frazier – Black Bourgeoisie, 1957)

***

Dr. E. Franklin Frazier
1894 - 1962 

Among the greatest challenges facing 21st century Black America is the necessity of confronting illusion, of coming to terms with our actual position within American society and, in order to effect real change, to develop a producing rather than consuming culture. Furthermore, by distinguishing between wishful thinking and actual facts, we will only garner control over our economics, and earn a seat at the table as a true equal, when productivity outweighs the unfocused and undisciplined mentality of conspicuous consumption.

Stepping beyond the boundaries of America’s unspoken social contract, however, where the wealth and prosperity of others is often built upon the ignorance of the Black consumer, meaningful change is contingent upon reclaiming the resources and intellect of the Black community. Requiring a complete and total, if not radical, break from America’s racial comfort zone, where Black people are usually rewarded for distancing themselves from their historical narrative, a new ethos based upon land, access to capital, ownership of the means of production and the control of distribution, must replace the concept of social advancement through non-economic liberalism.

This radical change, the claiming of our own resources to benefit, uplift and gain advantages for self, is nothing new or extraordinary when applied to other racial or ethnic communities. Often viewed as an obligation, not only for the purpose of legacy and intergenerational wealth creation, but also toward the concept of nation building as seen among Asian-Americans, Latino-Americans, Jews and other ethnic European-American groupings, building for the sake of self, family and community is the duty of a free and independent people.

In this context, if ethics is defined as being consistent with one’s inner held beliefs and values, and morality, as conformity to a certain group’s norms and ideas, then a Black community that captures its own wealth and resources, for the purpose of taking an equal seat at the table, cannot be faulted for challenging America’s deeply held prejudices while breaking the mold of low expectations.

A new paradigm and its fallout

Has Black America really taken into account the significance of its consumer dollars as it relates to the maintenance of the status quo? Statistics have shown, and many agree, that the collective spending power of Black America, as of 2013, amounts to upwards of $1.1 trillion per year, regardless of the fact that very little of this money circulates back into the Black community.



www.Blackcommentator.com

Furthermore, when looking at the virtual slavery provided by the prison-industrial complex, the so-called public school-to-prison pipeline and the lack of competition among Black Americans in the global marketplace, it is not difficult to see why those who abide by the philosophy of white supremacy wish to

keep it that way. For example, while Civil Rights activists may argue in favor of a policy that educates Black people at a fraction the $10,000 to $30,000 per year that it costs to incarcerate an individual inmate, the monies spent on imprisonment create more jobs and contracts, within a local economy, than does educating a young Black person who may otherwise compete for those same dollars in the future.

Additionally, by hamstringing the black community’s ability to extract dollars on local, national and international levels, by preventing our people from achieving collective economic independence, America’s ruling elite virtually guarantee the denial of meaningful Black participation in the global economy. More than the mortgaging of a house, the financing of an automobile and the amassing of consumer debt, to provide the illusion of having arrived, true freedom allows for the building of institutions to serve the needs of the Black community and, on an individual level, to bequeath wealth to subsequent generations.

As ideals differ among various groups, the Black community can no longer downplay its self-interests for the sake of going-along-to-get-along. While the ethics of Black liberation may challenge the order of White privilege, it is important to consider how conforming to white supremacy has created an acceptance of an unjust equation.

With code words such as “mainstream,” used for approval and “radical,” used to impugn the legitimacy of new ideas, is it in America’s domestic policy interests to make the Black population consumers rather than producers? If 10 million of America’s 40 million Black people stopped smoking, the tobacco industry would be deprived of billions of dollars. Similarly, if the same number stopped drinking, the alcohol industry would be deprived of billions of dollars. With just the example of alcohol and tobacco, who benefits from promoting toxic substances as something cool or sophisticated?

The falsehood of illusion has a powerful impact upon the psyche, and the need to project the image of belonging diverts billions of dollars away from true wealth creation and the freedom it represents. By making changes in our daily habits, not only is the lifestyle of death and non-productivity replaced by an ethos of life, but the emergence of a new morality would also prioritize vision and sacrifice over consumerism and short term gratification. The time for change is now, and we should no longer be in doubt about what must be done to secure our future as a people.

Ethics, Morality and the Struggle for Black Liberation

by William P. Muhammad

"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity." - W.E.B. DuBois.“The Souls of Black Folk,” 1903).

***

From the day of our forefather’s emancipation from physical slavery, much has been said and discussed over what to do about the so-called “Negro problem” in America. Like the Biblical and Qur’anic stories regarding the Children of Israel, and their relationship with the Egyptian Pharaoh, fear over Black interests diverging from White interests has occupied much of the thinking, policy making and social agendas of America’s ruling elite.  



Starting with overt strategies such as segregation and restricted access to resources, for decades, Black Americans toiled under a no-win situation, forcing many to flee to other locations for opportunity, relief or safety. Only to be received by a more sophisticated form of oppression, two seemingly opposed mindsets emerged in Black America by the late 1960s: one that fought for inclusion within a system hostile to a Black presence, and the other, a struggle for nationhood and independence through various ideologies ranging from the religious to the secular. 

As White Americans wielded the right to define through the educational system, public and private  policies focused attention on conformity, non-conformity, personal values, and the lack thereof; and shortly thereafter, new social norms were promoted from the highest levels of government. Designed to maintain White control over the culture, politics and economy of the United States, policies soon clashed across generational, gender and racial lines sparking the so-called counter-culture movement.  Regarding the destiny of Black America, however, under the pretext of ethics and morals, the right to define our own direction and interests was hampered by internal conflicts stoked by external meddling.

Reclaiming our stolen Birthright

Morality is often described as a set of standards that are generally accepted as right or proper, but what is left out of this definition is the statement: “right or proper according to whom?”  If morality is defined by the White elite, then conformity to their interests makes Black groups, organizations or individuals acceptable to what is proper and right in their view. However, in the struggle to define self, while pursuing a destiny independent of White boundaries and limitations, the aforementioned will be labeled immoral according to their resistance and opposition.

Regarding ethics, commonly defined as conformity to one’s own personal values or belief system, choice offers individuals the opportunity to either agree or disagree with national or international agendas undermining Black progress. If Black leadership conforms to White supremacy, while publicly or privately disagreeing with it, he or she is being moral within its purview but unethical toward self and the Black community. When such people compromise their principles for favor, or nearness to power, unethical Black leaders subsequently enable those who use them to continue harmful policies. 

As the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea to enter into the Promised Land, it was division, doubt and suspicion of leadership that caused them to wander in the wilderness for an additional 40 years. Today, Black American leadership must be bold and courageous, not only to see through a sophisticated tangle of competing agendas and deceit, but also to offer clear guidance in reclaiming a 400-year-old stolen legacy. If Black leaders see the value of remaining true to their originally stated beliefs and ideas, they will be negatively labeled by the world of White supremacy, but if these same leaders become apologists for oppression, they are no better than those to whom they have submitted.  

In order to reclaim our birthright, the concept of nationhood and independence can be neither ignored nor dismissed. As free and independent people do, uniting, pooling resources and working toward building a reality for themselves and their children, it is of paramount importance to take a principled stand.  Resisting conformity to the ways of this world, while remaining true to the ushering in of a new one, is not without precedence, and whether we decide to rise to the occasion or not, we cannot escape the overall condition of our people.

The double-consciousness W.E.B. DuBois described 110 years ago is not a phenomenon, it is only the manifestation of stress in a people forced to conform to a reality that is not in their best interest. Hopefully, as we come into a higher awareness of our true position within American society, Black people will understand “the time and what must be done” and that worrying more about what others think is not as important as what we think and what we do for ourselves. 

Overcoming Black Complacency in an Hour of Crisis

by William P. Muhammad

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.” (Proverbs 29:17-19 King James version)

In American society, there is a commonly held belief that learning the lessons of history will prevent past mistakes from reoccurring. Likewise, an adage that defines insanity as continuing a given behavior, while expecting an altogether different result, gives credence to those advocating alternative solutions beyond the narrative of obsolete ideas.

Seeming to rest upon the laurels of the 1950s and 60s, traditional Civil Rights leadership, in the name of access and inclusion, is today focusing more upon selling partisan loyalties than on promoting an unapologetic Black agenda. Within the context of America’s various Black communities, the common denominator of substandard education, unacceptable incarceration rates and high unemployment reveals not only the failure of “non-economic liberalism,” but also the failures of a movement that for too long has relied upon corporate patronage, political favoritism and the diluting of Black agendas in order to secure acceptance and approval.

Furthermore, in this compromising of Black interests, as a means for admittance into the so-called mainstream establishment, Black America’s collective well being is unfortunately being harmed. By rewarding the few, at the expense of the many, and contingent upon a political climate that changes every four to eight years, the relevance of ideas, programs and solutions, accepted and rewarded by government and philanthropic organizations, is limited. Clearly requiring a new direction and perspective, the current Civil Rights paradigm, which demands jobs and justice over independence and land ownership, undermines the concept of meaningful participation in a global market-oriented economy.

For instance, when comparing Black Americans to the collective economic progress of relative newcomers, it goes without saying that within one or two generations, many immigrant communities are reflecting a greater level of freedom and productivity. Although the hamstringing of Black economic advancement has been well documented since Post-Reconstruction, the fact remains that 21st century obstacles are more psychological in nature than they are of physical obstruction.

Subsequently creating a so-called permanent underclass, the decimation of Black communities through disenfranchisement laws, poor public education and an overabundance of political posturing, the system, to which Civil Rights leadership has tied itself, is cruelly indifferent to the plight of the Black masses. While the rural and urban poor are under no illusions regarding the limitations inherent to such an arrangement, regardless of well meaning intentions, Civil Rights leaders must reassess their agendas, reflect upon proven and workable solutions and leave egos at the door.

Considering the “Economic Blueprint,” long advocated by the Nation of Islam, as one model for positive change, the issue of poverty and want could be addressed within a relatively short period of time. Incorporating a holistic approach starting with teaching Black people the knowledge of self, the importance of unity and the value of pooling resources, if only one percent of the $1.1 trillion Blacks spend annually were harnessed, a renaissance of wealth, consciousness and productivity could be the result. Having an impact reaching far beyond the borders of the United States, once adopted, the “do-for-self” model would not only elevate Black America in the eyes of the world, but it would also do a great service in redeeming a flawed American society.

Unity is the key to Black America’s relevance and prosperity and our failure to “consider the time and what must be done” will lead to an unfortunate loss. With the simple elimination of alcohol, tobacco and other unhealthy habits, the dollars needed to make such an endeavor possible could be achieved with minimal sacrifice.

By capturing only $10 billion dollars annually, urban factories could be repurchased, thousands of acres of farmland could be acquired, healthcare facilities and new schools could be built and the Black community could enter into international trade and commerce for the good our ourselves, our families and our people. Such a vision is not a pipedream; the model was actually carried into practice and proven to be successful by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and studied by both advocates and detractors alike.

If we are to defeat the complacency that is hindering Black America’s progress, then it is time to consider a program with a proven track record. Whether you are Muslim, Christian or Hebrew, if you are Black, you cannot escape the overall image and condition of our people. The time for action is now and the world is definitely watching.

Contribute to the Saviours' Day 2013 fundraising effort today! Your donation will help the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan continue the work of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Click here to learn more.

On Gabby, Serena, Crip Walks and Flying Squirrels

by William P. Muhammad

The Olympics, an international celebration of national pride and athleticism, has long been a platform upon which various competitors make both themselves and their countries known through sportsmanship, perseverance and the spirit of competition.

With the recent gold medal performances of two Black American athletes, Gabby Douglas, for women’s gymnastics, and Serena Williams, for women’s tennis, two fields traditionally considered the domain of whites, the doubt over Douglas’ ability prior to her win and the anger over Williams’ celebratory victory dance, after defeating Russian superstar Maria Sharapova, anti-Black racism has once again colored “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” in international sports.

Comments and criticisms over Ms. Douglas’ hair and Ms. Williams’ so-called post-victory “Crip Walk,” not only have taken away from their stunning displays of athletic discipline and mental preparation, but these have also raised questions on race not seen since Mexico City’s 1968 Olympics where Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised gloved fists in non-violent defiance of white supremacy.

While it is doubtful the female athletes sought to provoke controversies, with either a hair style or a victory dance, white commentators, sporting officials and some white and European audiences have nevertheless revealed a beneath the surface disappointment, if not contempt, over two Black women mastering two sports traditionally dominated by the white elite. Proving their abilities before the world, these women have not only shown they are the best at their games, but they have also proven to others that Black people are capable of rising from the low expectations placed upon us by self and others.

Where Smith’s and Carlos’ gold and bronze medal victories required the same wherewithal regarding competition and tenacity, the controversy over confronting white supremacy, with the raised fist in 1968, has now been replaced by defeating the white elite at their own games in 2012. As Black excellence overturns perceptions of Black inferiority, regardless of the barbs and insults, by creating their own reality, Williams and Douglas leveled the playing field without begging others to do for them what they were capable of doing for themselves.

Applying this dynamic universally, leaders, teachers and preachers in our communities can empower our youth to embrace that which will make them successful not only in sports, but also in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To eventually place ourselves at the top of civilization, as our Black athletes have done, we must also become proactive rather than reactive and decide to rise to the challenges of our time.

Qualifying ourselves for positions awaiting us, in a global market oriented world, where technology and innovation will determine our collective success or failure, knowing self, respecting self and advancing the interests of self, regardless of whom or what, will require self-examination, self-analysis and self-correction among those wishing to rise. In much the same way our athletes prepare themselves for international competition, we too must take the responsibility to start training our people at an early age.

After identifying our children’s gifts, cultivating their abilities and expecting nothing less than excellence from them, not only will we produce gymnasts, tennis players and track and field stars, but also we will produce the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will take society to the next level of progress and advancement. No longer bound by the mental chains of white supremacy and Black inferiority, low expectations will be banished, insults will be dismissed and our idiosyncrasies, whether a hair style or a dance, will be chalked up as nothing more than a unique and individual expression of contentment.

Serena Williams and Gabby Douglas should not have to apologize for anything. They have proven on the field of equal and fair competition that they are respectively among the world’s best tennis players and gymnasts. Breaking the illusion of white supremacy in their individual sport, like others before them, they have shown to the world that Black people will continue to rise when afforded the opportunity. By hard work, continuous training and self-confidence developed through dedication, beyond the symbol of defiance, they have actually defied those who believed not in their success, but in their failure.

As the Olympics gives each nation the opportunity to rise and shine, these games revealed that members of the Black family can and will continue to rise to the top when given the chance to try. Whether dismissed in advance or criticized after the fact, Black excellence has indeed proven that the fallacy of Black inferiority is as false today as it was centuries ago. The only question is when will the rest of us step up to the plate regardless of the naysayers and the envier when he envies?

A Message to the Black Pastors in America – Part 2

by William P. Muhammad


From the last days of the Civil Rights movement through the waning days of various Black Nationalist and cultural movements, the decline of awareness, intellectual wherewithal and consciousness, among the masses, has proven that the image and meaning of Blackness remains under consistent attack.

Like fighting a delaying action in a battle between corporate propagandists, that distorts the images of young Black men and women, and those who would define themselves through a comprehensive understanding of “the knowledge of self,” politically, economically and socially, Black America’s relevance as an equal player is manifesting itself as an ever diminishing fantasy.

What is at stake in this battle, over who will control the image and destiny of Black people, appears to be more in line with a policy strategy than by accident or coincidence. In fact, if one listens to the rhetoric among both liberals and conservatives, assimilation into the so-called “mainstream” appears to be more about adopting a Eurocentric world view than it does with the “self-evident” truths, among Black people, associated with self-actualization and the pursuit of happiness.

Promoted across America, in both the public schools and in private Christian schools, white superiority is both subtly and routinely taught through a mythology that celebrates white accomplishments, at the expense of the non-White and non-Christian worlds. Denying and minimizing the significance and impact of historical wrongs, the deifying of historical figures and the evangelizing of an “exceptionalism” to which others should bow, creates in its wake a corrupting arrogance of power.

While none can honestly deny the contributions white Christians have made over the centuries, equally, none should deny the contributions of others, particularly when non-white and non-Christian students are taught of the Earth’s various peoples and their histories. However, with the desire to privatize the American educational system and the co-opting of Black leaders through philanthropic and corporate contributions, it is unlikely the current paradigm will change without a critical mass of people dedicated to creating their own institutions and systems.

Without this paradigm shift, as represented by very few Black leaders in the United States, change will be slow to come, if at all, and Black communities across America will continue to be marginalized politically, economically and socially. Regardless of deals cut and promises made, coming austerity measures, budget cuts, and other threats to the social safety net all but guarantee priorities will be focused upon containing future unrest than with giving benefits to a people who will not unite for their own sake.

For example, in the early 1990s, when the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan re-established the Three Year Economic Program, the idea of Black people going into agribusiness, through monthly $10 contributions, was initially met with enthusiasm, but as interest waned, the Nation of Islam continued the work alone resulting in a 1,500 acre farm in Georgia.

What would happen if only 5 percent of Black America’s 40 million people contributed only $1.00 per week to this cause? Aside from being a contributor and supporter of a significant Black enterprise, this endeavor would yield $8 million per month, $96 million per year and after three years, more than a quarter billion dollars plus interest.

If part of the Lord’s Prayer states: “Give us this day our daily bread,” then the question we must ask ourselves is: From where does our bread come? If we know that God’s earth produces the wheat and we know that human hands must harvest, process and sift the wheat into the flour, then bread will only come from our labor. Feeding our people only one slice of bread per day for one week would require 280 million slices, and since it is unlikely bread will fall from the sky, the Black man and woman must work with God’s help to supply our own needs in the time of want.

As Black people, we must take another look at the meaning of freedom, which means more than just having the right to vote under a so-called democratic system of government. If freedom is having the opportunity to grow into our full potential, then are we as a people truly free? Black people have the talent, Black people have the knowledge and Black people have the wealth to accomplish what we will. If as consumers spend around one trillion dollars annually, then there is no excuse to not harness some of those dollars to advance a cause that will benefit us all.

“When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.” – Genesis 41: 56-57 New International Version

A Message to the Black Pastors in America - Part 1

by William P. Muhammad

“…know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God." James 4:4 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition


Famed author and writer Alex Haley, who wrote the landmark novel, “Roots,” said it was the Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, through his interviews with Nation of Islam spokesman Malcolm X, which led him to pursue the historical research that made his book and the subsequent television mini-series into a world-wide success. Challenging generations of distortion and misinformation, the “Roots” phenomenon, albeit short-lived, uncovered and articulated, through mass media, Black America’s Muslim past, the methods by which White America sought to erase it from our collective memory and why.

The European’s aversion toward the non-Christian, particularly the Muslim, who, through his civilizations in Africa and Asia, controlled the trade routes to the East, perhaps in the beginning was a conflict more about European competition for scarce resources than a conflict over religion. Nevertheless, from the Vatican inspired Crusades of the Middle Ages, through the religious tyranny of the Inquisitions and the 1492 “Reconquista” of the Iberian Peninsula, the expulsion of African Muslims and Jews from Spain and Portugal, and the simultaneous “discovery” of the Western Hemisphere, culminated in the founding of a New World that, in the name of Christianity, destroyed indigenous civilizations, enslaved Africans and, by order of the Catholic monarchs of Spain, forbade the practice of Islam.

With the advent of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and the centuries long chattel enslavement of Black people, the forced transfer of Africans from their homelands to North America, South America and the Caribbean Islands, is without a doubt one of the greatest crimes humanity has ever inflicted upon itself. Particularly as it relates to the United States, the prolonged trauma of race based enslavement, persecution and discrimination became so acute, that as a survival mechanism, through limited internal choices and unconscionable external pressures, nearly every vestige of the Black man’s original culture, language and religion had been repressed, redefined or eliminated.

Constituting a theft of our birthright, centuries later, pragmatism, or in some cases ignorance of history, now leads many Blacks in leadership to embrace or reject that which the former slave master and his children embrace or reject, particularly as it relates to religion. As regards to reclaiming that which was lost, like Daniel during the Babylonian captivity or like Moses during the Egyptian captivity, how many Black religious leaders have the courage to tell Nebuchadnezzar or Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord,” and how many are willing to pay the price to do so?

Although most Black Americans, who may profess Christianity, are unaware the Holy Qur’an recognizes Jesus in the 19th chapter titled Mary, they may also be unaware that the Muslim book of scripture refers to him as Messiah, albeit it according to the Hebrew definition. As this world is built upon and maintained by the domination and subjugation of the weak and the poor through the political, economic, and philosophical views of white supremacy, those knowledgeable of scripture, and the time, should expect the coming of One to overturn such rule and to set justice on the earth.

According to the New Testament, part of the Lord’s Prayer states: “…Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” If the prayer states that God’s Will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven, then this implies that there is work to do here and now while we are still living and breathing. Furthermore, if Jesus spoke of a kingdom coming, and it will be the same “on earth as it is in heaven,” then this implies actual land which requires ownership, cultivation and development and a people who require food, clothing and shelter for starters.

With this said, building a church, singing and praising the name of Jesus is good, but it will not be enough to survive the fall of this world and to qualify for an exalted place in that kingdom. Does not the scripture say that faith without works is dead? If we are destined see the kingdom, and our children to inherit it, we must prepare ourselves for positions that are awaiting us. A kingdom needs governors to administrate it, a kingdom needs farmers to feed it, a kingdom needs architects and engineers to shelter and build it, a kingdom needs scientists to advance it and doctors to heal it, a kingdom needs all of this and more through a people who submit their will to do the Will of God, which is the literal definition of the Arabic word, Muslim.

Pastors, preachers and ministers who know of the coming of the kingdom, also know there is a price to pay for announcing its coming. Who among us is denounced, vilified, scorned and ridiculed for doing so? Who is plotted against, evil spoken of and hated without cause? Who among us is hated by this world, its leaders and its apologists for the sake of the kingdom? Who among us is willing to lay down his life for the sake of that truth?

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10 - King James Version

Redefining freedom from the modern day Pharaoh

by William P. Muhammad

Throughout the history of our sojourn in North America, many have likened the legacy of the Black struggle to that of the Children of Israel under Pharaoh. From the era of slavery through emancipation, and eventual Civil Rights victories 100 years later, “the Promised Land,” as a metaphor for so-called acceptance into the “mainstream,” became an idea more in line with integration and assimilation than with independence and self-determination.

Failing to grasp the significance of Black unity as the solution to an unequal racial paradigm, traditional Civil Rights leadership seemed more comfortable with the symbolism of social and political inclusion than with the substance offered by an equality rooted in a national movement dedicated to self-sufficiency. This “Civil Rights” interpretation of the Moses and Pharaoh narrative, sufficing for many as the final reward for generations of servitude and discrimination, overlooks the necessity of freeing minds from the many illusions associated with so-called American democracy.   

Looking back in history, the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War offered Blacks the opportunity not only to build new lives, but also, under the protection of federal troops, to build new economic and political realities. With experience in agriculture, construction and the trades, “freedmen” were in the beginning stages of becoming masters of their own destinies. As Black communities and towns sprouted throughout the South and West, becoming a participant in the American economy was seen not only as a birthright, but also as a natural component to the concept of freedom.

However, with the “Compromise of 1877” and the removal of federal troops from the former Confederacy, Black advancement was almost immediately turned backwards as whites reestablished their power through malfeasance and terrorism, often with the complicity of government. As the fledgling economic systems Blacks were striving to build were intentionally broken, the architects of white supremacy worked to discourage, if not to prevent, the rise of an economy worthy of a significant Black population.  

Coupled with declining numbers in Black land ownership, from 16 million acres in 1910 to less than 2 million acres by 2002, the ability to access capital for the purpose of building an independent economy was stifled.  Undermining a necessary step toward eventually owning the means of production, protracted land loss has been a significant factor in not only the weakening of Black American commerce, but also in the disintegration of viable Black communities.

As Pharaoh and his advisers forced the Children of Israel to make bricks without straw, advocates of the white establishment denied Blacks the right to fully participate in the American economy. Deprived of an economic base from which to compete, the intentional suppression of a Black producing culture gave way to an exploitable consuming culture, guaranteeing that hard earned dollars would continue to flow into the coffers of others outside of the Black community.

From yesterday’s intimidation with the whip, gun and noose through today’s use of philanthropic dollars to gain leverage over Black leadership, the deliberate seizing and dismemberment of Black America’s economy now requires a reassessment of priorities and a reinterpretation of self-interests. If “politics without economics is symbol without substance,” and economic freedom requires reclaiming the will and desire to “do-for-self,” then begging others to do for the Black community what it is capable of doing for itself must be reexamined.

As many have stepped forward to offer solutions, one tried and tested model was the Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s “Economic Blueprint.” Teaching his followers to look within for answers to the social, political and economic woes facing Black America, he challenged Black people to embrace the following steps in order to reestablish a culture and ethos of producing:

1. Recognize the necessity for unity and group operation (activities).

2. Pool your resources, physically as well as financially.

3. Stop wanton criticisms of everything that is Black-owned and Black-operated.

4. Keep in mind — jealousy destroys from within.

5. Observe the operations of the White man. He is successful. He makes no excuses for his failures. He works hard in a collective manner. You do the same.

           

Following this advice, from 46 years ago, is sure to bring an end to the aimless wandering the masses of Black people have endured in the desert of economic desolation.  Sound economic principles and ideas are irrefutable regardless of one’s religion or faith tradition, and by employing a program with proven results, it is possible not only to address essential needs such as food, clothing and shelter, but also “to build schools, hospitals, factories, buy farmland and enter into international trade and commerce for the good of ourselves, our families and our people.”

While many have been led to believe that a house, a car and a job constitutes the end of the struggle, the hard truth is that time is dictating that Black people do something for self before it is too late. The question is no longer whether or not illusions will sustain the Black community, but whether or not we are willing to accept the responsibility that comes with knowing the truth.

Civil Liberties: The Erosion of the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

by Paul C. Wright

 

The civil liberties of U.S. citizens, their Fourth Amendment rights in particular, are being eroded at a rapid pace. The pretext for the destruction of Americans’ civil liberties is the “global war on terror,” which – according to all three branches of government – requires that Americans surrender their liberties for security and protection from foreign and domestic threats. The nine-year erosion of civil liberties has been spearheaded by federal agencies, but individual states of the U.S.A. are now following in the federal government’s wake as local law enforcement agencies are increasingly becoming a tool of state authority and state security rather than performing functions as civil service agencies designed to protect and serve citizens. The trend will soon lead to a new framework for law enforcement activities. Without a reversal of this trend, law enforcement will soon exist primarily to protect the interests of government.

The Fourth Amendment, enacted in 1791, is designed to protect both individual and property rights by recognizing and affirming that that citizens are endowed with the right to be free from tyrannical government intervention in their personal lives. It respects the individual and requires law enforcement to be subservient to individual rights by barring law enforcement from conducting unreasonable searches and seizures. Further, it clearly states that search warrants that enable the government to enter a person’s property and seize property pursuant to a criminal investigation must be based on probable cause [1] not the mere discretion or desire of law enforcement agencies to assume an entitlement to conduct a search for the mere fact that they hold police power. This amendment is rooted in 17th century English law designed to prevent the King from exercising unchecked authority over landowners, and it is what has separated the United States from totalitarian nations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Under U.S. law, the doctrine of probable cause was eventually expanded to include all citizens from the intrusive police powers of the state.

At the federal level the USA PATRIOT Act, passed soon after the events of September 11, 2001, is the keystone of America’s new security state apparatus. The law originally required third party holders of private personal information to turn that information over to federal authorities upon request. This meant that doctors, libraries, bookstores, universities, and internet service providers [2] would have to provide the government with information on the actions, purchases, health, or activity of private citizens without anything more than a demand from federal authorities. Moreover, secret searches of personal residences and other property could be conducted without notice to the owner that such a search has ever occurred. [3] This expansion of federal power was a clear and unambiguous violation of the Fourth Amendment and fortunately portions of the PATRIOT Act, including its “sneak and peek” provision, were struck down as unconstitutional violations of the Fourth Amendment. This did not, however, prevent the federal government from continuing to press for the ability to obtain private information or conduct secret searches by other means under the guise of national security. Efforts to mine data and track citizens’ activities are ongoing as are efforts to undermine court authority to review the application of these police powers.

One of law enforcement’s newest tools is the GPS tracking device, and recent court decisions have said that police can enter your property and place a tracking device on your vehicle without showing probable cause or obtaining a warrant. One of the most visible cases is United States of America v. Juan Pineda-Moreno. [4] In this case, DEA agents snuck onto Pineda-Moreno’s property at night and attached a tracking device to his car which was parked in his driveway. The agents, who suspected Pineda-Moreno of drug trafficking, did not demonstrate probable cause nor obtain a warrant from a court to attach the device. They merely decided they had the right and the power to do so without judicial oversight. They tracked Pineda-Moreno’s movements for a four month period until the tracking devices eventually led them to a suspected marijuana grow site. Pinedo-Moreno was then arrested.

Traditionally, one of the keys to whether or not law enforcement is violating a citizen’s rights under the Fourth Amendment relates to whether or not the person’s property to be searched is on public or private property. Historically, one’s driveway is considered private property, part of a person’s “curtilage,” and therefore subject to the protections of the Fourth Amendment. Curtilage is defined as “the area to which extends the intimate activity associated with the ‘sanctity of a man’s home and privacies of life,’ and therefore has been considered part of the home itself for Fourth Amendment purposes.” [5] Clearly, a person’s driveway is a part of their curtilage, and the government in the case even conceded the point that Pineda-Moreno’s driveway is in fact curtilage. The court disregarded the concession as well as the concept of private property and ownership and decided that it was not curtilage. The court stated that one’s driveway is “semi-private” unless enclosed or blocked with a barrier or other feature. The fact that Pineda-Moreno had a “No Trespassing” sign posted on his property was inconsequential. The court went even farther in saying that one has no reasonable expectation of privacy to the undercarriage or exterior of their car – which is where the GPS device was placed.

Pineda-Moreno’s petition to have the full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals hear his case was denied, leaving a new definition of curtilage and privacy rights in place. In a blistering dissenting opinion, Chief Judge Kozinski, a former citizen of communist Romania, blasted the court for destroying a fundamental American civil right, stating that “[t]he very rich will still be able to protect their privacy with the aid of electric gates, tall fences, security booths, remote cameras, motion sensors and roving patrols, but the vast majority of the 60 million people living in the Ninth Circuit will see their privacy materially diminished by the panel’s ruling. . . . Yet poor people are entitled to privacy, even if they can’t afford all the gadgets of the wealthy for ensuring it.” [6] Kozinski closed his dissenting opinion by warning that there “is something creepy and un-American about such clandestine and underhanded behavior. To those of us who have lived under a totalitarian regime, there is an eerie feeling of déjà vu. We are taking a giant leap into the unknown, and the consequences for ourselves and our children may be dire and irreversible. Some day, soon, we may wake up and find we’re living in Oceania.” [7]

Since the ruling, other agencies have used the ruling to justify aggressive police activities. The FBI, in Santa Clara, California conducted a warrantless tracking of a young community college student and computer salesman’s car by placing a tracking device on it - as in the Pineda-Moreno case. Yasir Afifif, who was emotionally devastated by the operation that targeted him, noticed the tracking device hanging from his car when a mechanic at an oil changing station brought it to his attention. [8] The day after the mechanic removed the strange device from the car, FBI agents showed up at Afifi’s apartment door demanding the return of the device.

These are just two examples of many surrounding the proliferation of GPS tracking devices and the erosion of the Fourth Amendment protections historically granted to U.S. citizens. Police powers are supplanting Constitutional rights all across the United States and a number of lawsuits challenging the violation of rights are being heard in courts across the country. While some states have followed the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, courts in other jurisdictions like Massachusetts and Washington D.C. have not. The variance of rulings from state to federal jurisdictions has set the stage for an eventual U.S. Supreme Court decision on the matter. The Supreme Court decision, if it falls on the side of law enforcement, will effectively rewrite the Constitution and forever change the interface between police power, individual liberty, and private property.

The issues of unlawful search and seizure and invasion of privacy have become extremely urgent matters, particularly with respect to recent scandals involving Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents’ application of radiation body scanners and aggressive frisking techniques at the many of the nation’s airports. A groundswell of grass roots opposition is lashing back against the technology and TSA techniques, and many lawsuits have been filed challenging the implementation of procedures that target every American citizen as a prospective threat.

The direct and heavy application of government police power in a manner that challenges Constitutional limits on power is a trend that will continue until the courts resolve the limits of power this new age. The coming court decisions promise to alter the American legal landscape for decades to come.

Paul C. Wright is an attorney, business consultant, and legal researcher who has practiced both military and civil law. His legal practice areas have included criminal, international, corporate, and consumer law.

Notes

[1] See “U.S. Constitution: Fourth Amendment, Search and Seizure,” Findlaw.com, “The concept of ‘probable cause’ is central to the meaning of the warrant clause. Neither the Fourth Amendment nor the federal statutory provisions relevant to the area define ''probable cause; ‘the definition is entirely a judicial construct. An applicant for a warrant must present to the magistrate facts sufficient to enable the officer himself to make a determination of probable cause. ‘In determining what is probable cause . . . [w]e are concerned only with the question whether the affiant had reasonable grounds at the time of his affidavit . . . for the belief that the law was being violated on the premises to be searched; and if the apparent facts set out in the affidavit are such that a reasonably discreet and prudent man would be led to believe that there was a commission of the offense charged, there is probable cause justifying the issuance of a warrant.’ http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/02.html

[2] ACLU, “Surveillance under the USA PATRIOT Act,” April, 2003, http://www.aclu.org/national-security/surveillance-under-usa-patriot-act

[3] Ibid.

[4] No. 08-30385, D.C. No. 1:07-CR-30036-PA OPINION; motion for rehearing en banc denied, 591 F.3d 1212, 1214-15 (9th Cir. 2010).

[5] Oliver v. United States , 466 U.S. 170, 180.

[6] Op. Cit. Footnote 4.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Elias, Paul, “FBI’s warrantless GPS tracker on car becomes privacy issue; judge cites Orwell’s ‘1984,’” Cleveland.com, October 17, 2010, http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2010/10/fbis_warrantless_gps_tracker_o.html

Truth, Lies and the Price of Distraction

Redirecting the attention of a fickle and dissatisfied public is nothing new in the history of politics. From the bread and circus days of the Roman Empire through the media driven diversions of 21^st century America, the masses have always been corralled from the serious to the trivial when it suited those in power to do so.

Americans, who watch on average more than 30 hours of television per week, often know more details about reality shows, Hollywood scandals and sports statistics than they know of world affairs and the activities of their own government. Coupled with radio and television hosts who whip up fervor for or against one cause or another, the ability of the public to sift through information determines the quality and behavior of their political leadership.

Nevertheless, in order to make a meaningful contribution toward the so-called democratic process, there must be a willingness and ability to think against the grain. In other words, to resist “group think,” a condition that fosters conformity for fear of social disapproval, those who demand truth and accountability often clash with those whose ideas are defined and popularized by media.

For instance, after 9/11, through Bush administration assertions that saturated the airwaves for months, the American public was led to believe that if not stopped, Saddam Hussein would arm terrorists with weapons of mass destruction.  While the public for the most part bought into this argument, those opposing such allegations were labeled unpatriotic as voices of restraint were drowned out by those for war.

However, in the midst of this debate, a sizable portion of the American public was distracted not only through patriotic zeal, but also from a media that exploited the inconsequential. According to Nielsen ratings, only weeks before the start of the Iraq War, top programs on basic cable television, for 18 to 49-year-olds, included WWE wrestling and two MTV reality shows: The Osbournes and The Real World.

An example that American viewing habits had been focused on the trivial and the frivolous during a time of international crisis, the American electorate permitted unwise policymakers to act with impunity.  Leading not only to the deaths of American soldiers, but also to the death and displacement of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, a misinformed American public allowed for a war of which the long-term effects remain to be seen. 

Today, with an economy in shambles, high unemployment and a falling dollar, conservatives were reelected to solve the very problems they helped to create. As a deeper economic crisis looms on the horizon and the potential for additional conflict spreads, it is doubtful the incoming Congress will offer better ideas or solutions than what have already been suggested or tried.

       In the meantime, while America attempts to reduce its footprint in Iraq, there is no end in sight to the fighting in Afghanistan. As Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan remain global hotspots for covert intervention, military options regarding Iran and North Korea remain on the table threatening to spark another world war. 

While these realities continue to unfold, sport and play remains high on the list of American priorities. As knowledge of the trivial and inconsequential dominates that of the serious and substantive, it is not hard to see that America is in a state of disrepair. If the future belongs to those who have mastered the disciplines of a high civilization and America’s grasp of such disciplines is waning, then it is safe to conclude that America may very well lose her place, not only as a technological innovator, but also as the leader of the so-called free world.

Like the fall of other great nations and empires before, corruption is contributing to the decline of the American people. As “greed, the lust for power and inordinate self-interest” guides the thinking of policymakers, one of their most effective tools of influence remains the corporate mass media.

While the consequences may not show immediately, there is a high price to pay for failing to hold government accountable. A public more concerned with entertainment than with reality allows the interests of the few to be served over the interests of the many.

In light of this fact, media consumers have a responsibility to be not only intelligent, but also wise as they learn to distinguish what is or isn’t in their best interests. As critical thinking and thoughtful analysis competes with entertainment oriented programming, America’s distracted citizenry, while influenced by propaganda, invests too much of its time in the world of make-believe. Now is the occasion for reassessing priorities in order to mitigate the rude awakening that is surely coming.