controversies
It seems every time one racially-charged incident ends, a gender or religious controversy takes its place; Ruminate on the issues dividing our nation and world.
Cultural Arrogance
Sometimes I wonder if there’s still an unspoken resentment for the new world here in England. Growing up on the other side of the world, we non-firstworld folks aspired to be like the American. Whether we wanted to admit it or not, we looked up to them as our external leaders. American leaders
By Kenesta Hope6 years ago in The Swamp
Harm Reduction
This week, I plan to cover a subject that is very near and dear to my heart, harm reduction. I had intended to write on another subject this week, but last weekend I helped out with a petition drive. The purpose was to get the federal government to treat the opioid crisis as a public health emergency and to provide a safe supply for those struggling with addiction. I should note that it is not only compassion that drives me to support this. There is another, just as important, reason. Quite simply, it’s because such programs work.
By T.C. Randall6 years ago in The Swamp
HUMAN RELATIONS BOTTLE-NECKS
HRC In Atlanta [1975] The middle aged woman struggled to stay on her feet. She jerked and staggered between two larger women. They ushered her away from the auditorium with polite civility. Yet, these two women could not keep the twisting lady, though firmly in their grasp, from vocally shouting. The uncooperative captive ranted.
By Aaron A. Vessup6 years ago in The Swamp
Get Out
I’ve been processing and coming to terms with several different things lately. One of them is the realization that I have (unknowingly) been in the presence of people who did not like me because of the colour of my skin; or worst, people who didn’t like Black people in general but made an “exception” for me. Now at first glance depending on who is reading this, that may not sound like that big of a deal or revelation. Most Black people know at any given time that if they are in a room full of people who do not predominantly look like them no matter the ethnicity, there is going to be a strong likelihood that there will be a significant amount of said people who do not like them. These are microaggressions that Black people experience literally every day and as a whole, we’ve developed a pretty thick skin in dealing with it.
By Whitney Smart6 years ago in The Swamp
Why The Court Ruled The Way It Did In the Dreadlock Hair Case
ZV, a minor and her parents wear dreadlocks. They do so outside of any adherence to religion. Her school has an unwritten policy of ‘no braids, no beads, no locking of hair’. Placement at the school is dependent on adherence to this policy. Reason: parents do not wash their dreadlocked children’s hair, “in a timely manner, and the hair gets junjo” (mildew) and has created serious lice infestation issues in the past prompting administrative intervention.
By Donna Mattis6 years ago in The Swamp
As a Heterosexual Black Male in America how can I Follow a Movement that does not Reflect me?
I would not say that I totally disagree with policies supported by the Black Lives Matter movement. But as a black man in America how can I follow a movement on my behalf that does not fully reflect me? The rate at which black men witness inequality and injustice in this country is higher than any other demographic.
By MINORITY ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION6 years ago in The Swamp
Now What?
Now what? Changes we can make following George Floyd’s death We ask for peace and it’s quiet. We scream for justice and we’re silenced. We go for a simple walk, yet we have to run and hide. We live in the same house, yet we’re treated like guests. We do nothing wrong, yet we get framed. We do the same things as everyone else, yet we’re not treated the same. We can’t breathe— we can’t even get some air. We have had enough, and not enough has changed. Now what?
By Karim Fall6 years ago in The Swamp
I got more backlash for this photo than anything I’ve put online in 14 years.
In my 14 years online I’ve posted naked self-portraits that have been banned from Flickr, I've outraged activists with an ad campaign of stuffed animals which got pulled from a Hong Kong metro, and I've angered Italian Christians when I staged a scene of the Virgin Mary giving birth.
By Natalie Lennard6 years ago in The Swamp
Planning and traffic rules madness
Planning and traffic rule madness. A political recipe for disaster. The politicians appear to have abandoned control over a vital aspect of national life. They have been duped into allowing left wing ecology propaganda, to replace common sense and rational evaluation, they will pay for this at the ballot box.
By Peter Rose6 years ago in The Swamp
Homeless Is Where The Hatred Is
Things are cooling down and I'm struggling against a lack of will to do anything. The joys of watching corruption burn have given way to disgust as white extremists of the right and left become the focus of the Black Lives Matter movement, at least as far as the media dictates. On a smaller scale, our personal problems are far from over. These things only happened a few weeks back and the only thing that seems to have changed is a drop in the temperature:
By J. Gonzalez-Blitz6 years ago in The Swamp
More than Mattering
Black Lives Matter; we hear this sentiment daily and absorb the message to the fullest extent (well, those who care and believe so). I am so damn sick of hearing my life matters. I know my life matters, and everyone else's too. The problem is that Black lives do not just matter; they are vital. Not only did most of the United States get its infrastructure from the Black lives stolen from Africa, but we built this country for free, might I add. So please spare me the niceties. Black lives are of utmost importance. We equally enrich the environments we inhabit.
By Brandon Lee6 years ago in The Swamp
