Today in America, this Supreme Court gave criminal immunity to the Presidency, eliminating the conceit that no one is above the law. President Trump will never go to trial for inciting a riot and the attempted overthrow of a free and fair election. African Americans have been here before. Americans tonight are feeling the profound impact & dissatisfaction with the SCOTUS that for generations African Americans have known. The Dred Scott case that denied American citizenship to Black folk. Plessy v. Fergusson that upheld “separate but equal” Jim Crow segregation

Unfortunately I believe the Supreme Court of the United States will give immunity to Donald Trump for trying to overthrow the government. It will be a monumental moment in American history. The oath to serve and protect the constitution will be diminished. It is a call to action to save democracy. Donald Trump is unfit to serve as President of the United States. His election alone would signal that our nation of no one is above the law is little more than conjecture

Days after his 90th Birthday, Bill Cobbs died today. A father figure, a griot, an iconic artist, that mentored me by the way he led his life as an actor. He played my father twice: in I’ll Fly Away & The Gregory Hines Show.Each time imparting wisdom with a word of encouragement Bill Cobbs was born and raised in Cleveland. He shared so many stories about the city he loved. It’s serendipity that I’m here in Cleveland as I learn of his passing. He comes from a great legacy of the Black Theatre. Karamu House here is a historic landmark

I anticipate the Supreme Court this week will rule granting immunity to Trump against prosecution. It will destroy the federal documents case. We will see the naked truth about the lengths the conservative movement will go to for power. No one is above the law will be dissolved. The sanctity of the judicial system is a lesser concern than the acquisition of power. For centuries the court ruled against “all men are created equal” without concern about the sanctity of the constitution. While it will create chaos and a crisis, the power of the executive branch is worth the jeopardy.

Anne Pasternak, has been a friend of mine for almost 20 years. This attack on her home is a violent attack of ANTI SEMITISM on par with a burning cross warning from the KKK that your life is in danger. As a Black man from the South, I understand that is a terror attack and not a protest. The irony is that as long as I’ve known her she has been pro- Palestinian and supportive of justice for marginalized people worldwide. We met when she produced our production of WAITING FOR GODOT in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans destroyed by Katrina, killing hundreds, a commentary on the loss of humanity and ineffective bureaucracy that contributed to it.

In my industry, 33% tax credits are given to Hollywood studios to bring production to Louisiana, Georgia, and many other states. Oil companies are given subsidies to develop and drill for oil. TAX DOLLARS GIVEN AS CORPORATE WELFARE. Yet a private investor wants to invest in Black women investors with private equity and the racist agenda of the right wing seeks to destroy any economic development in the Black community. As a businessman, that’s a violent personal attack. Venture capital denied by the court.

A private investment firm the Fearless Fund, has been blocked from investing in businesses owned by Black women. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, sided with a challenge to the grant program, arguing it violated a Reconstruction-era civil-rights law, known as Section 1981, that prohibits discrimination in contracts. The law was put in place to protect former slaves from discrimination. Edward Blum, an opponent of affirmative action, has argued its text means that race can’t be considered at all in contractual relationships. Private funding blocked by the courts. NOT TAX DOLLARS.

Eulogy for Amos E. Pierce, Jr.

This is the most profound, difficult, challenging, sacred, ethereal, painful and spiritual moment of my life. I had years to prepare but nothing prepares you for the loss of a father……… I loved him deeply but over the last 11 years the love grew as I heeded my mother’s death bed wish, “Wendell I’m dying. Hold my hand. Stay close to your brother, and take care of your Daddy.” Tee I did my best and now I deliver him back to you and God.

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that an individual or group (like the NAACP) are NOT allowed to sue states for violating the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. This ruling destroys almost 60 years of precedent in U.S. federal law. THERE IS BLOOD ON THAT BALLOT BOX. From the emancipation to the passage of this landmark bill 100 years later thousands of Americans were murdered, lynched, tortured, abused and violated by fellow Americans as they try to exercise their constitutional right just to vote. THERE IS BLOOD ON THAT BALLOT BOX.

This is not an isolated incident. This is the result of a culture of fascism that gives white nationalists and Nazis room to thrive. Political leaders who say “ there are good people on both sides”. Officials who downgrade the horrors of slavery with miseducation of Black history

https://twitter.com/cnn/status/1695572834779529230

We are expected to enter into a state of denial that these murders are NOT a part of the racist rhetoric spoken as policy in this country. It is not coincidence that Black judges, District Attorneys, and prosecutors are receiving death threats without any condemnation.

Warning Maui Fire Victims: As a victim of Katrina, we saw the criminality begin at this point of the disaster. 1) Insurance companies will abandon you after years of paying premiums. 2) If insurance companies do pay out they will collude with banks and pay off your loan, not you. 3) Commissions & Coalitions will be put together with government & corporations without your best interest at heart. Demand you are included in the process of rebuilding.
4) Beware of those attempting to steal and expropriate your property. 5) Beware of no bid contractors

Immigrants coming to NY, either on their own, or bused in as political pawns, should be openly welcomed. It’s less the 1.5% of the population. We have the resources. SL Green, the largest commercial property management has almost 8000 buildings with over 50% empty post COVID. Immigrant labor always represents about 20% of a robust economy. Any community that desires a strong economy welcomes immigration. Immigrant and migrant labor GROWS JOBS AND THE ECONOMY. The immigration lie is that they replace our jobs or take or resources.

We are at a dangerous moment in the American experiment. For centuries we were in denial of the lies we told ourselves. Liberty and justice for all, as we committed genocide of indigenous people, and enslaved another. America’s written promise of redemption to “form a more perfect union” would be the only salvation. The recognition that our constitutional system will amend to rectify injustices and anything that doesn’t support the ideal that “all men are created equal”.

There is Blood on the Fields. Centuries of slavery now being reduced to “personal benefits” for Black folks. Black women raped continuously. Black peopled tortured, branded, and murdered. Amputations. Mass graves of towns destroyed. Revisionist history that blasphemes genocide. There is Blood in the Fields were my family was robbed of their freedom and stripped of any dignity of life and humanity. Anyone that embraces the idea this was a grace for Black folks confirms a special place in hell for you. It confirms that the values of America are a lie.

Ice Cube has the right to ask what the Democrats have done for the Black community.
-Civil Right Act, Voting Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Obamacare, Economic Empowerment Zones, Community Development Legislation creating Community Banking to combats red lining Expanded access to the judiciary for Black jurist, Expansion and oversight of the EEOC to combat discriminatory employment practices and penalize/criminalize employers for violating equatable hiring

Remember during these next few days, the GOP economic philosophy of Reaganomics tripled the debt in the 80s, widened the income gap, defunded the central mental health system flooding the streets with homeless citizens in need creating a crisis decades old, including veterans The GOP economic plan to this day embraces that same policy of tax breaks for the wealthy and cutting government spending at the expense of resources working Americans pay their taxes for. They increase defense spending but cut benefits for veterans.

Remove emotion and politics. Intellectually everyone knows because of data, red flag laws, background checks, licensing add layers of defense that will not stop gun violence but will reduce it. The proliferation of guns logically increases gun violence. Anyone against layering defenses to prevent mass shootings has this knowledge but their agenda is more important. NRA is a marketing entity to sell guns. Right wing politicians ignore the data for power. Their opposition to gun laws isn’t principled. Their agenda is $ and power

For months I have wondered what the recall campaign in New Orleans was really about. It’s aim is to recall an ineffective Mayor. That I understand. I assumed after a recall, the politician most likely to benefit from the removal would be revealed. Then the real motive came out… The campaign went to court to “scrub” the voter roles of “inactive” voters. This is the oldest voter suppression strategy around. This has nothing to do with a bad mayor. The Louisiana GOP is financing a purge of voters in the largest city in the state, New Orleans. The Purge

The US economy grew 2.6% in Q3 beating expectations. Strong exports, consumer spending, and a healthy job market. All in spite of inflation. This inflation is created by 50%+ corporate profit. Greed. It helps put GOP back in Congress, who will reward them with tax cuts back to 0% Democrats need to be clear with this message. The strongest economy in 40yrs is battling the highest inflation in 40yrs. This economy is what we go to war with. Stop avoiding the debate. The GOP will reward corporate greed with 0% corp tax, by cutting Medicare/Medicaid.

Every American Policy we hold dear was created by Democrats and Republicans voted against it: Social Security in 1935, Medicare in 1965, ACA in 2009, American Rescue Plan and COVID relief 2020-2022. It saved the economy, raised wages, lowered unemployment and created jobs The Culture War is the Republican plan to distract from the fact they have no agenda and supported an insurrection to overthrow the government. Not Patriots-Traitors.

Watching American politics living abroad is interesting. The power of messaging. 12 straight months of 500k jobs, 3.6% unemployment, wages up 5%, $1.5T infrastructure spending even Republicans are hawking as their creation. A strong place to fight a painful pandemic inflation. But the messaging is the policies that saved a crashing economy through the pandemic & created this robust economy is the cause of the inflation. The investment in infrastructure is deficit speleothems no ROI. The trillions spent in a public health crisis didn’t get us through.