activism
Grassroots campaigns have proven instrumental in bringing about political, social or environmental change; you've got to start somewhere-might as well start here.
RACISM COVID-19
In the US, UK and elsewhere, COVID-19 is hitting Black and other ethnic minority groups hardest creating a renewed focus on racism in healthcare. The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted this longstanding anti-African racism. With all the damage this pandemic has done to the economy and people’s livelihoods, scapegoating and hostility towards an imagined outside threat clearly helps to divert domestic frustration away from the ruling elite a trend we are all seeing worldwide. Travel bans missed the mark. Travelers from Europe not Asia brought the first cases of COVID-19 to at least 93 countries across five continents. Voyages from Italy were responsible for bringing COVID-19 to 46 nations, while travel from China is responsible for just 27 index cases. Yet, while the United States issued a travel ban on China at the end of January, it took another month and a half to limit European travel. During that time, an estimated two million people flew from Europe to the land of the free. The irrational racist surveillance that leads to the brutalization of Black Americans in their neighborhoods is spilling into public health and medical care. The coronavirus crisis has exposed China's long history of racism, It started with the local government in Guangzhou implementing surveillance, conducting compulsory testing and enforcing a 14 day quarantine for all African nationals even if they had earlier been tested negative and hadn’t recently travelled outside China. In Yuexiu district, the largest African migrant community in China, many Africans were evicted by landlords despite having paid their rents and left to sleep rough on the streets. In a department store, an African woman was stopped at the entrance while her white friend was allowed in. In a McDonald’s restaurant, a notice was put up saying “black people cannot come in”. In an echo of apartheid South Africa or segregation-era United States, a colour bar was imposed across the city: Africans were refused entry by hospitals, hotels, supermarkets, shops and food outlets. At one hospital, even a pregnant woman was denied access. The widespread racism has caused a huge public outcry across Africa, shared on social media. A key term used interchangeably for both ethnic group and nationality, refers to a group of common descent, with a distinct culture and territory. Community’s in Europe and the United States become victims of racism during this pandemic, Africans in China are crying out, “We are not the virus!” To resist racism, we need to see it for what it is, wherever it occurs. We rely on readers’ generosity to power our work and protect our independence. Every contribution, however big or small, makes a difference for our future. Ethnic minority workers are also more likely to have zero-hours contracts or work for agencies , meaning they are under pressure to keep working despite the danger posed by the virus. Poverty has also hit some communities harder as businesses closed in the pandemic, Bangladeshi men are four times more likely to be in these industries than white men. In the 19th century, Black people were seen as ‘racially different’, which was used to justify discrimination. In the 20th century, medical racism became more ‘systemic’, for example with Black people not informed of the true nature of some experiments. Today, medical algorithms are accused of racism and systemic housing inequalities continue to create bad health outcomes. If you’re Black or Latino in the US, you’re almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19, That’s according to The New York Times’ analysis of data from America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The numbers also reveal that Native Americans are more likely to be hospitalized with the condition than other ethnic groups. In the UK, it’s a similar story. Official figures show that Black people are 1.9 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white people. In France, infection rate data is not collected by ethnicity but the trends are believed by some medical experts to be similar. These patterns are drawing attention to long-standing health inequalities faced by ethnic minority groups. And in some cases, these inequalities stem from structural or overt racism that goes back decades, or centuries. Throughout history, medical racism has often been based on the myth that Black people have different and inferior bodies. Researchers say that history shows this practice could represent an implicit bias, discrimination, and racism, and masks economic and environmental factors. Black people were used unwittingly in early 20th-century medical experiments. One of the worst examples is the Tuskegee study.
By Bridy Rock5 years ago in The Swamp
Unsung Heroes Always Sing
This isn't about a kid who started with a dollar and a dream and struck it rich, however this man has brought us diamonds and gold. This isn't about a photographer who captures breathtaking images of his environment; this man shares beauty by lending his eyes. He doesn't paint fabulous murals but instead hands the paintbrush to those in pain and whispers, "reveal yourself."
By Dillon Brady5 years ago in The Swamp
Twenty Thousand Reasons
Jan. 5th, 2020: Strange uncles are nothing new in the world. It’s all that trying to be cool, pretending that they are somehow still young, still connected. My Uncle Umoja is no exception. Well, he is a bit of an oddity even in this category.
By Jason Witmer5 years ago in The Swamp
Listen to Ally Henny
There is a profound difference between advice and truth. Advice is like a hairbrush; a skilled stylist can utilize it in a way that creates a fresh and distinctive look. But after a few days if the recipient isn’t intentional, the impression of the stylist’s brush is quickly forgotten. Truth, on the other hand, is like a baseball bat applied to the same head. Those on the receiving end of a baseball bat are unlikely to ever be the same. Good advice is always welcomed and helpful, but the truth is life altering.
By Rick Adventure 5 years ago in The Swamp
You’re Being Lied to: Environmental Regulation Actually Boosts the Economy
It seems like common knowledge that government regulations are burdensome for companies. In many cases, this is true, as regulations create obstacles for businesses, which limits their output and requires more resources to overcome. Many free-market advocates echo this sentiment when they talk about “reducing government red tape” and wanting “smaller government.” They see it as a tug-o-war between private industry and government.
By The Happy Neuron5 years ago in The Swamp
A reason for homelessness
Jordan Biehn is another homeless person I love, love, love. Her street name is Barbie. I think of her as a lovely woman - a kind of modern Eve. I know her to be a complex. injured, independant, masochistic artist. She knew Olya Stefania Marko, my deceased partner, and would sometimes sit with us in Tim Hortons, but never for long. Olya called Jordan my fantasy woman. Olya and I could talk about anything. Olya wasn't really describing just a sexual ignition system. Olya was talking about a desire, on my part, to matter. In Jordan's case by helping her recover from own heavy judgements. Olya and I often talked of the 'wiggle room' that people might extend to themselves: regular forgivenesses, self-allowances, especially during societal failures, to be sometimes angry, to sometimes act out in embarrassing ways. This is especially true in the homeless population which are, amongst other things, some of the most profoundly doctrinal law and order types that you will come across. So much so, that I fear they help elect conservatives who sometimes seem to pretend that the homeless are not really there.
By Budsy Huggys5 years ago in The Swamp
The Case for International Gun Registration
The War against Guns has always been a priority not just in America but also in the world. Guns are one of the biggest polluters on the planet. It is not enough for one country to ban them or their high magazine but all countries must ban together to end all wars. What made the War on Drugs so deadly? Drug dealers have unlimited access to guns and weaponry, And they did so because of the jurisdiction of other countries. Drug dealers would hide in other countries to terrorize the countries' people to win power. Guns have always existed to overpower others. This is why there is a need to eliminate their effect on civilized societies. And when the internet came along, it strengthens the Black Market which sells drugs, guns, and all types of exotic things including humans. This must not exist any longer in society. Someone has to answer to this crime and we must and the world must break through this barrier to secure future generations. There cannot be any doubt about the consequences of leaving guns unchecked and balancing the power of the weaponry. There can be no peace and harmony while guns are freely given to anyone without a dignified purpose. Each year, we hear about the mass shootings in schools because of unauthorized access to guns, not only in America but around the world. We hear how school children are kidnapped due to some terrorism in foreign continent's nations such as Africa. If we are to win this then we got to make a mark for all people.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous5 years ago in The Swamp
Selling ourselves short.
American work culture has us selling our souls for minimum return. It depends on where you fall on the totem pole as to what kind of return you get for your investment. Please don’t misunderstand me, I believe that an individual should put forth effort in creating a future that suites them and also helps support the community. However, that would be an easy feat if we all started out with the same privilege, if any.
By Caralee Core5 years ago in The Swamp
The Man who Knelt
I know next to nothing about football. I played a very short game of flag football in Junior High, picked up the football after a down and everyone yelled at me. Apparently that was wrong? I had asked how to play and no one had answered, so after that I decided to return to not caring about the game.
By Karalynn Rowley5 years ago in The Swamp
