Manns Medium

Many people are all up in arms about the recent Supreme Court decision to gut a portion of the Voting Rights Act and the long-awaited voting rights laws that’s affecting many Republican-controlled states and municipalities, but what they seem to be missing is the real reason why. Some say it is to stop a certain type of voter from voting in the up-coming elections, some say it is to give the GOP a better chance of controlling all aspects of government both local, state and national but there are those who say that it is to fight voter fraud.   Regardless of which you choose to believe and you are free in this country to believe whatever you desire, one thing is extremely true and undisputable. It is the new adaptation of the “southern strategy”, one where the “closet Klan members” and “fake Christians” rule as they did in the time of Jesus where only the laws of Moses were important to those religious and righteous leaders.   Where a simple man born to a carpenter co...

Many of you probably have not yet heard Bill O’Rielly’s rant about why Trayvon Martin lost his life on that cold and rainy night in Sanford Florida.   O’Rielly believes that it had nothing to do with race but everything to do with wearing a hoodie.   To thse who know better, that reasoning sounds niave and childish but to those who are like minds of O’Rielly it sounds quite possible if not extremely true.   So what can we do to provide them with a much deeper understanding?   Some, including our president Barack Obama, say it’s time for a nationwide honest conversation for others like Chris Hayes; it may be time to ask “what’s the matter with white people?”   We are beginning to have that conversation now and I stand here to try and answer Chris’ question. What’s the matter with white people?   The same thing that is a problem for all races of people, nothing.   There is nothing wrong with white, black, or brown people except we all fall into on...

In the wake of the Trayvon Martin Trial, many are now beginning to take a good hard look at themselves.   Whether it is those of the Black Community, the White Community, Hispanic Community, Asian Community, Gay and Lesbian Community, Religious Right and Left Community or any other community which seeks to survive and thrive in these United States of America.   We look at ourselves in order to discovery if we have done as much as we can to erase all bias and prejudice.   Some have little work to do but the majority of us have a whole lot of work ahead of us. When we speak of racism, bias or prejudice, we need to know that it is not particular to one race or another and surprisingly it is directed at not only those outside of our own race but within just as well.   If we are to eradicate hate, it has got to happen not only toward those who are of a different skin color but those whose pigmentation resembles our own. Take for example, two prominent gentlemen ...

In the aftermath of this tragedy, we are all looking quite closely at the events leading up to and after this trial searching for a lesson, a reason and a solution.   In that vein, some are being held to a different standard than before.   Now you don’t have to say anything but agrees with the verdict and you are either a racist or ignorant.   If you disagree with the verdict you are either racist or ignorant.   Either way, you get the point; we are all now ignorant or racist. Case in point, in an article written by Aliyah Frumin for Hardball titled “Opinions of Juror B-37 were her own, say fellow jurors” , reports of this juror saying things like “she didn’t think Martin’s race was the reason why Zimmerman, then a volunteer neighborhood watchman, followed him” or Trayvon made a mistake by not running and sticking around.   This same article reports that four (4) of the other jurors got together and released a statement that request an appeal “to the high...

While the parents of Trayvon Martin believe that not only would their son be proud of the pressure placed upon the State of Florida to arrest and bring to justice George Zimmerman, Justice was not served.   While they are the ones who lost a child and their wishes of no rioting or violence should be honored, after all our kids are still with us.   While I know that God Almighty can and will deliver more justice than any court ever created, I still have a few things to say. I find it quite hard to accept the verdict because George Zimmerman took a life and in that realm alone, he should have been held accountable.   I do not hate him personally but I deplore the laws that allow him and others like him to flourish.   Commentators were quick to say that the jury should be concerned about what effect their verdict would have on the community of Sanford, the State of Florida and the world.    They mentioned that we need to consider that they are mother...

I have attempted to follow this case from day one and since it has been televised, I found myself glued.   I see so much in this trial but the most griping of all is what it now says about our new America. First we saw the civility of the attorneys as each took seriously their job of defending or prosecuting this case.   I loved the fact that they kept apologizing when they felt that they may have been wrong or disrespectful to each other, the judge or those who were testifying.   It did my heart good to see adults conducting themselves in a manner that is qualifying of our justice system.    They showed that you can defend your client on either side of the argument without belittling anyone on the other side and you can defend your client diligently without demonizing those who do not agree with you.   They showed great character and honestly made me feel that all of us can now get our day in court and equal justice. Next I saw a new America, tha...

Ask this question because with each passing day not only are those being charged with horrendous crimes getting younger and younger but so are the victims of these satanic acts conducted by our children on our streets.   When will enough be enough for parents to not only take responsibility for their lack of parenting but accountability for the example that they set. Case in point; if you children grow up in a home full of violence, violence is going to be the only answer that they learn for every problem.   Instead of trying to understand another’s point of view, their solution will only be point and shoot.   Yell louder than the person that you are talking to and if that doesn’t work, strike first, fast and hard.   If this is the society that we want, if this is the society that we wish our children raised in and if this is the society that we think we are powerless to control, we are wrong on all accounts. Our first task is to lead by example at home. ...