Americanah

 ...by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I'm not going to write about the book. That would do it an injustice. I just want to save these two pages, because they're so... right.

Calling It Out

I was reading a book...

I shared this tweet...

Someone else (whom I usually admire) retweeted it with this comment...

He "required" of another, a judgement of the contraction "to've."

I called him out for it - without bringing up that he's a white man asking judgement from another white man on a black woman's writing.

After this tweet, the man being asked never responded, and the man asking "liked" the tweet, even if he didn't apologize. He saw it. He may have reflected. It was a small moment that felt like a win to me.

"Klan-Loving Country"

Chelseitsme

It's 6:21 am on my first Saturday of Thanksgiving Break. On my Twitter feed, amongst news of the Chicago Bulls, a principal dressing up as a TikTok sumo guy, and people enjoying their walks with their dog, is a lot of disappointment in the American justice system.

https://twitter.com/dave__whiteside/status/1461780401479950352

Oh, I can imagine it. He would be dead. A white person would've killed him.

Others (other white people) might not think that. This is one of the myriad problems. 

I, for one, can walk away from the news. I am white. This is not an everyday problem for me, my family, 95% of my friends. I can shut down social media. I can talk with all my friends and family, and the names of those murdered won't enter into our discussions.

Every time we hear of another white man getting away with murdering a black person, I realize more and more... this system we've got here in America is DESIGNED to be this way. It's designed to protect those of my skin color, so that they may STAY IN POWER. 

This is Chelsea Hart. She is blunt. She swears. She's a white woman who stands up for the underprivileged. Here is her take on the acquittal.

At the end, she calls the U.S. a "Klan-loving country." I'm beginning to see it.

I wish white people in this country knew who each of these people were - and how they died. And then I wish the white men in power would use their power to STOP it. and to execute justice when it does still happen. Here are some of the ways black women have been killed - by the police. And young white men can hear about it and feel as if they are invincible. They are above the law. Are those in power "Klan-loving?" Their children learn from their model.

Eric Garner

Pearlie Golden

Michelle Cusseaux

Michael Brown

Tanisha Anderson

Natasha McKenna

Tamir Rice

Mya Hall

Alexia Christian

Walter Scott

Ralkina Jones

Freddie Gray

India Kager

Kisha Michael

Alton Sterling

Korryn Gaines

Deborah Danner

Philando Castile

Michelle Shirley

Charleena Lyles

Stephon Clark

Decynthia Clements

Pamela Turner

George Floyd

Atatiana Jefferson

Breonna Taylor

And 

Lies

I'm so tired.

I'm a privileged white woman, and if I'm tired, I can't imagine how tired others must be.

I'm tired of the lies. The distractions. The statements made that are opposite what those same people have stated before. The anger and hate spewed towards entire groups of people.

I try to ask my parents to not say "The Democrats are..." or "They say..." Who? Which ones in particular? Where are you getting this information? Have you looked it up to see what it's all about? Did you read past the headline? Did you try another channel? And if I have to encourage my own parents to do this, I can't imagine the numerous other people who are believing what some are telling them.

Some like these...

"Lunatics."

"Anti-white."

And he doesn't even know Critical Race Theory is only being taught in some college classes. He may not even know what it IS.

Here's what he said (this time) that makes me want to puke.

I'm not supposed to take this personally. Yet this is one more reason educators feel demoralized. An entire group of people is angry at schools - again - this time over something that's NOT EVEN HAPPENING.

By the way, before anyone even thinks of putting cameras in the classrooms, ask all the parents that were in the room when we were learning virtually. What did they hear that would be so damning? And then, after you hear crickets... put soap in the bathrooms, fix the cracking floors, fix the leaky ceilings, get rid of the rats, buy some textbooks and maybe even devices for so many schools across the country in which we live. Once that money is used, maybe make smaller class sizes by making more classrooms and hiring more teachers. If you can find them.

Seriously. Has anyone talked to educators about this???!!!

Here is the myth of the leftist indoctrinating teacher, by the way. A solid piece that has been pinned to my Twitter profile since I found it on June 24. If you can listen to that person's opinion above, then you can read this teacher's opinion (and FACTS) in this article.

Impeachment Proceedings

Shown on February 9, 2021, at the start of the Impeachment proceedings.

Insurrection

I'm documenting here some portions of the events of the past few days. I feel I need to.

Did this insurrection begin with this? No. But I feel the need to include Trump's conversation with Georgia's Secretary of State. I feel this is important. And as a result of his sedition, his Twitter account was finally suspended.

 

What I got out of this video attack of Brianna Keilar on Tucker Carlson (I typically don't watch either of them) was the definition of "insurrection," clearly presented to all.

I made it a point to tell my students that this was let by extremists and people who believed the president's lies. My question to our justice system: If you know who they are already, why weren't they already behind bars before this? And... How long will they be behind bars now for multiple federal offenses?

"White Americans aren't afraid of the cops... even when they're committing insurrection." Watch all five minutes of Joy Reid here.

Simplified tweet from the president-elect:

And here is a viewpoint from a black police officer inside the Capitol.

What was happening? Watch these seven minutes from itvNews (British News) in this tweet from Jason Kint. (I tried, but cannot find other than in this tweet.) They came in with Confederate flags. (The Confederacy only lasted FIVE YEARS. And they LOST.) Restraints. Pipe bombs. They hung a gallows outside for Mike Pence - the vice president of the United States. Tucker Carlson on Fox News said it was a "political protest that got out of hand after the president recklessly encouraged it." My students and I discussed the terms "protest," "riot," "mob," and "domestic terrorists."  Capitol police watched them roam the building. Jenny Cudd, who ran for Mayor in Midland, TX, is totally fine confessing her role in these events. 

What was happening - from the viewpoint of someone who WANTED in? Click on the photo and head to the YouTube video to watch these thirty-nine minutes. Note: There is a warning on the video. May all those involved be prosecuted to the greatest extent. They knew what they were there for.

Donald Trump was sitting in the White House - after he told the group he'd walk with them to the Capitol. Melania was having a photo shoot for a new book she wants to get out. Our House and Senate members were trying to count the electoral votes.

Of course we can connect it to our schools... who else, but students and school staff, hide EVERY YEAR to practice for when a (white) shooter is inside a school building?

And then... as an adult... as you hide, you also protect those bodies in your charge. With your life.

I saw a tweet from a friend/colleague who said we needed to teach children how to lose... Here are twelve books that teach kids how to be gracious losers. I retweeted it. Then it sunk in deeper. It's not just about losing. It's about oh-so-much more. I felt the need to document these specific pieces I've seen that have cut to the truth of what is rooted so deep in our nation. White people matter. White people are respected - EVEN IF THEY ARE TRASHING OUR NATION'S CAPITOL BUILDING - WHILE BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE WERE MEETING TO DECLARE OUR NATION'S NEXT PRESIDENT.

To all educators who do not think this is worth discussing with children, NOT discussing it is a huge part of why this is allowed to happen. 

Moving forward... Twitter and Facebook have censored Trump, and he's limited on using the POTUS account. As of writing this part of this post on Saturday, January 9th, 2021 at 8am...

And, yes, this is totally legal.

Facebook, Apple, Google Play... They're trying to stop users from inciting violence.

In the crowd... police officers, veterans, Christians, and even lawmakers.

I just don't understand how some people think this is okay.

---------------

July 10 - Still think it was justified? Then subject yourself to this video footage was released by US Justice Department under court order.

Eye on Policing

I didn't take time yet to ask my mayor about body cameras for our police officers or what the village is doing regarding bias training... but it seems someone else did!

Here is what the "Journal" from my village says about our police training.

"Eye on Policing"

It sounds good to me, but I know there can be hidden messages or things not said. What I don't know (yet) is how to find it. How do I know what it all means? How do I know if it's enough?