I went to see the movie “BlacKkKlansman” this weekend. What a powerful film. It brought back memories from growing up in a mixed race city, race riots at school, campus shutdowns, blacks kept out of programs at my church. Gave me a wide range of feelings and emotions.
Spike Lee’s new movie “BlacKkKlansman” tells the true story of an African American police detective named Ron Stallworth, who, in 1978, launched an investigation into the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado Springs, Colo. (See video clip below. Be forewarned that it contains graphic and offensive language.)
One of the most disturbing messages of the movie that hit me hard was how little progress we have made as a society — no matter how we try to say it differently. To sit and listen to the KKK Grand Wizard, David Duke say, “It’s time to Make America Great Again,” gave me chills. And so many other comments throughout the movie that could have been said AND are being said today. Visually it was driven home by footage of last year’s white supremacist march in Charlottesville that killed a young woman, and verbally most every time the President opens his mouth.
We deluded ourselves when we elected a black President 10 years ago, but our societal prejudice roared back two years again with the election of Donald Trump.
Also, this week we learned more about the illegal activities of Paul Manafort. This is no movie. Tens of millions of dollars traded hands between the Ukraine and Manafort. Tax evasion, hiding financial transactions and more. It sure doesn’t seem like much of a debate if he is guilty. The only real question is how long he will serve in prison. And the grand jury continues to take testimony!
This Administration is rapidly becoming the most corrupt in our nation’s history. Sad and disappointing how low our leader’s ethics are but even more so how little we demand that they be cleaned up. It’s like a bad movie.
Omarosa Manigault Newman, former White House official has a new book just out that documents the President as a “racist, bigot and misogynist.”
Manigault Newman also claims to have the names of illegitimate children she claims Trump has fathered. She even claims to have heard him use an offensive and derogatory word to refer to a black person.
Between Manafort and Omarosa, there will be no space for other news for weeks. So glad we continue to be an example for the rest of the world.
Closer to home we have our own elections coming up. Filing has closed in every city for the November vote. Next week I hope to tell you who each of the candidates are from the respective Coachella Valley cities. As we get closer to November I will give you my opinion of who to vote for on the state ballot and the local ballot.
Also, soon after the mid-term congressional elections candidates for President will begin to announce. I am leaving the 21st of this month for Chicago to attend the summer meeting of the Democratic National Committee. I expect lots of news to come from that.
Eighty-five days until the election. This isn’t a bad movie.
We all must get involved.
Register. Rise up! RESIST!