As a Black woman business owner, the recent ruling on the discriminatory nature of the grant program aimed at supporting businesses owned by women of color struck a chord with me. The program, known as the Strivers Grant Fund, was set up with the noble intention of addressing the severe racial disparity in funding for businesses owned by Black and Hispanic women. However, the issue arose when it was brought to light that the program was structured more as a contracting mechanism rather than a grant with no strings attached, which violated Section 1981 that prohibits racial discrimination in contracting.
While I understand the motivations behind the program and the need to rectify the historical and ongoing discrimination faced by marginalized groups, including Black women, it is challenging to reconcile the idea of legally discriminating loans or financial backing based on race and sex.… Continue reading
James Comer’s Biden Impeachment Crusade Finally Ends With a Whimper
The saga surrounding James Comer’s relentless pursuit of impeaching President Biden has finally come to a lackluster conclusion. Despite all the noise and accusations thrown around, the end result is nothing short of a whimper. The entire ordeal reeks of desperation and a clear lack of substance. From baseless accusations to frivolous referrals, the Republican party’s attempts to tarnish Biden’s name have fallen flat on their face.
It all started with Kevin McCarthy’s unilateral decision to kickstart the impeachment inquiry as a way to distract from Trump’s legal troubles and appease certain factions within the party.… Continue reading
I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of former astronaut William Anders, who took the iconic Earthrise photo during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. The news that he died in a plane crash in Washington state strikes a chord in my heart, especially as a space enthusiast who holds a special affinity for the Apollo era at NASA.
The Earthrise photo, capturing our planet as a shadowed blue marble from space, holds profound significance in human history. It symbolizes our interconnectedness and fragility, a reminder of our place in the vastness of the cosmos. And to think that the man behind this iconic image met his end in a plane crash at the age of 90 is both tragic and poetic in its own way.… Continue reading
I can’t help but be stunned by the recent news of a 71-year-old man being arrested after LAPD found nearly 3,000 boxes of stolen LEGO sets at his home. My initial reaction was one of disbelief mixed with a hint of admiration for the sheer audacity of such a heist. I mean, what was this man planning to build with all those LEGO sets? It must have been a grand and elaborate project to warrant such a massive collection.
It’s both amusing and concerning to think about the scenario that unfolded when the police raided the man’s home. I can almost picture him scrambling to hide the evidence, only to be caught red-handed surrounded by thousands of colorful LEGO boxes.… Continue reading
The staggering reality of our current situation is that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are skyrocketing at an alarming rate, surpassing anything that humans have ever faced before. It’s a grim reminder of the damage we are inflicting on our planet as a result of our relentless burning of fossil fuels, releasing CO2 pollution into the atmosphere at an unprecedented pace. The recent data from NOAA, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the University of California San Diego paints a grim picture of our current trajectory.
The most recent measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory show that CO2 concentrations hit a record peak of 426.9 parts per million in May 2024, marking a significant increase from the previous year and making it one of the largest annual growth rates in the past half-century.… Continue reading
I recently came across the story of Noa Argamani, a woman who found herself in a dire situation when she was taken hostage. Noa’s mother, Liora Argamani, a Chinese citizen who renounced her citizenship, made a public appeal to China for help in securing her daughter’s release. However, China refused to intervene, citing Liora’s renunciation of her Chinese citizenship and disclaiming any responsibility.
The refusal of China to assist in the release of Noa raises interesting questions about citizenship, nationality, and the obligations that countries have towards their citizens. In this case, Liora may have renounced her Chinese citizenship, but does that mean that China should not feel any responsibility towards her daughter, Noa, who is of Chinese descent?… Continue reading
More than half of Biden supporters say the main reason for backing him is to oppose Trump, according to a CBS poll. And you know what? I’m one of them. The idea of stopping Trump from dismantling the Constitution and pushing his fascist agenda is enough to make me support Biden without a second thought. The thought of facing another term with a man who has no redeeming qualities, who is a convicted felon and a rapist, is enough to drive me to vote for anyone but him.
Biden may not be the perfect candidate, but between him and a man who actively tried to overthrow a democratic election, the choice is clear.… Continue reading
Russia Is Sending Young Africans to Die in Its War Against Ukraine
The recent revelations about Russia enlisting young Africans, including students and migrants, to fight in its war against Ukraine is both appalling and deeply troubling. The Kremlin’s tactics of coercing these individuals to join the military under duress, threatening their visas and deportation if they refuse, is a blatant abuse of power and a violation of their rights.
It is disheartening to see how Russia is manipulating vulnerable individuals, exploiting their desperation for better opportunities and using them as pawns in a deadly conflict. The reports of African students being detained and forced to choose between deportation or military service highlight the ruthlessness of the Russian regime.… Continue reading
It’s been quite the rollercoaster watching the political landscape unfold over the past few years. The sheer audacity of the hypocrisy that seems to be running rampant in our government is both astounding and disheartening. The recent revelations about Trump, a man who once adamantly proclaimed that a candidate under investigation shouldn’t be allowed to run for president, now finding himself in the shoes of a convict, is the epitome of irony at its finest.
I can’t help but shake my head at the blatant double standards that seem to be at play here. Remember the uproar over Hillary Clinton’s emails?… Continue reading
What a fool believes: Donald Trump and America’s bogus respect for “faith”: How religious “freedom” has been twisted into an all-out attack on critical thinking and the rule of law.
The manipulation and exploitation of religion in American politics, especially by figures like Phyllis Schlafly and now Donald Trump, is a testimony to the dangerous game being played with the very fabric of our society. Growing up in the church in the 70s, I was shocked to learn how religion was twisted to serve political purposes, alienating millions of Christians and skewing the narrative around issues like abortion and homosexuality. The church, once a diverse voting bloc, has now been appropriated by the GOP to drive their divisive agenda.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker