The Shame of the Nation
In this issue: 1) The Shame of the Nation 2) Name change 3) R scores may point to new outbreaks
By James R Smith
George Floyd is the latest victim of a systematic effort to terrorize the Black community. He was brutally murdered in public by a police enforcer and so-called officer, Derek Chauvin, while three of his uniformed accomplices looked on. He has finally been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, neither of which fits the heinous crime of intentionally murdering a man who was under his complete control.
Why can’t racism be stopped in this country? Does it serve a useful purpose to the 1 percent? Is the motivation to divide the working class by race? Why did slavery exist in this country long after it had been banned in most of the world? Why did Jim Crow laws exist for so long? Why did segregation - why does segregation - still exist? It seems that the only ways to advance are with a massive uprising like the civil rights movement, or more permanently, to break the power and wealth of the 1 percent, of capitalism.
Meanwhile, demonstrations broke out across the country, in small and large cities, from coast to coast, including around the White House where secret police put the building on lockdown. Where protests were not large, police responded with arrests, rubber bullets and tear gas. But not in Minneapolis. Thousands clogged the streets for blocks and the police and national guard backed off. This is a valuable lesson for this struggle and for future uprisings. What is now needed is that thousands of whites and other peoples of color join the demonstrations and follow the lead of the Black leaders. This is not just a Black issue. It is an issue of freedom and democracy for all in a state where government officials, including police, must understand that they work for the benefit, not the detriment, of all of us.
Sadly, the President (not my President) was said to be shocked when he viewed the video of George Floyd’s death caused by a white cop, but Trump quickly reverted to complaining about petty looting, as if that could be somehow as important as the killings of Black people throughout the country. Said our loony leader: “Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot.” He also retweeted “the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” Is there any reason why Trump should not be banned from Twitter for incitement to violence? Is CEO Jack Dorsey afraid of Trump? Is that where we are in this country?
Name Change • Name Change • Name Change
Beginning June 1, this news site will be known as “The Left Coast.” No changes in surly attitude are anticipated. The term the left coast has been around at least since the ‘90s, but generally it’s used to sell products. The real nature of the left coast, usually meaning from the Mexican border to the Canadian border has not been explored in detail. We invite any readers who have an opinion on this to submit a guest article or comment by clicking the word-balloon just below any article. If you like the idea, which was approved unanimously by our subscribers, please donate by becoming a subscriber for $5/mo or $35 for the entire year (cheap). Our continuing practice is to provide an alternative to the corporate media. In a small way, we’re riding the wave of the future. Be part of it.
R scores are going the wrong way
On May 25, we showed you how all states were faring in beating back the pandemic. The R score shows how many people an infected person will, in turn, infect. If it’s more that 1.0, we’re in trouble. If it is less that 1.0, we are on our way to ending this infestation. Unfortunately, with many states opening too soon, and there are too many people thinking the threat to their lives, and the lives of those they come in contact with, is a thing of the past. It’s not.
Twenty-seven states were up, that is, the rate of infection is greater than it was on May 25. Nineteen states were down with their rates of infection, and five states stayed the same. California, Oregon and Washington, all Left Coast states were up. Some of the changes may be because of improved testing and analysis. However, if that is a minor factor, then we have a serious problem in many states.
