b"OPINIONWoke or Awake?By David Paul confront diners and demand they raise their fists intice with the present anarchy. In his epic I Have a solidarity are the same delicate flowers that have toDream speech, he famously said, I have a dream have safe spaces on campus and be shielded fromthatmyfourlittlechildrenwillonedayliveina W oke: aware of and actively attentive to impor- micro-aggressions and trigger words. Floyds lifenation where they will not be judged by the color of tant facts and issues (especially issues of racialIt was the unlawful taking of Georgetheir skin but by the content of their character. He and social justice)Merriam-Webster. that has triggered months of attacks on persons andalso said, Let us not satisfy our thirst for freedom the act of being very pretentious about how muchproperty.Nooneofconsciencecondonesthewayby drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. you care about a social issueUrban Dictionary Mr. Floyd and subsequent others lives were ended.In this current climate, race overshadows character Truly, black lives do matter. My question concernsand bitterness and hatred are the fuel that propels The Chinese have a curse that avers, May you liveto whom and when do these lives matter? Where isthese nihilists.in interesting times. These, without question, arethe press coverage and outrage over Darnell McGee,Without a doubt there are decent, hard working, interesting times. The upcoming presidential electionMichaelLipshaw,VanessaThomas,andhundredsreasonable people who wish to improve the lives of may well be the tipping point to determine whetherofotherblackpeoplemurderedinChicago?Doblackcitizensbyaddressingtheinequitiesinour this country continues as a democracy and a repre- blacklivesmatteronlywhenwhitepoliceofficerssociety. The problem is theyve allowed their agenda sentative republic, or as a mobocracy where the lawtake them? Do black lives only matter when there isto be hijacked. The failure of Democrats and liberals of club and fang determines winners and losers. political and/or economic leverage to be gained? Areto insist that all human life matters is even alienat-I didnt leave the Democratic party, the Democraticthe thousands of black lives lost each year accept- ing members within their own ranks.party left me. Ronald Reagan, 40th President of theable losses that we can simply ignore or downplay?IsBlackLivesMatter Marxist?NoandYes.You United States. Do we just dismiss the tragic, uncomfortable truthmay agree with and support their agenda, but while The present-day Democrat party holds little resem- that the greatest threat to the lives of blacks citizensChristianitycanaccommodateBLM,thetenetsof blancetoitsformerself.ItsdoubtfulJFKwouldis other black citizens, not the police? BLM wont accommodate Christianity.recognizeandidentifywiththiscurrentiteration.The majority of cities where looting and rioting areBeing bi-racial, I grew up in a world where I was The everyday issues of blacks have be jettisoned fortakingplaceareandhavebeenDemocratstrong- too black for white folk and too white for black folk. illegalforeignnationals,multiculturalism,LBGTQholds for decades. It is only recently that the actionsIdecidedearlyonbothwerewelcometoosculate rights,climatechangeandreligioussecularism.oftheseso-calledpeacefulprotestershavebeenmyposterior.Thisresultedinmedoingmyown Democrats Hoodwinking of Blacks. Images on thecondemned. Its only taken these politicians monthsindependent thinking as I wasnt fully accepted in newsfromthedemonstrationsandriotsseemtoand their own internal polling to make them under- eitherworld.Mostblacks,however,adheretothe consistlargelyofover-educated,over-medicated,standthatregardlessofrace,gender,religion,orsocial strictures and expectations of the group. In self-loathing, guilt-ridden white folks political affiliation, people want to be feel safe on thethe book, Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces who will do anything not to be called racist and thestreets and in their homes and workplaces. Shape Black Political Behavior, the authors advance people of color who take advantage of that. Ironically,CompareandcontrasthowtheRev.Dr.Martinthetheorythatwhilealmost1/3ofblacksself-theverypeoplewhoformamobtoaggressivelyLuther King set about to secure freedom and jus- identify as ideologically conservative (religion being a dominant factor), they vote 80-90% Democrat due to social pressures.Engaging in stereotypes and ad hominem attacks usually does little to advance serious discussions. The term racist has been bandied about so much Do black lives matter only when white police officers takethatithaslostsignificantimpactwithlargeseg-mentsofsociety.BeforeCovid-19,theDowJones them? Do black lives only matter when there is politicalIndustrial Average, NASDAQ and S&P 500 hit all-time highs. Unemployment for blacks was at record lows,fundingforhistoricallyblackcollegesand and/or economic leverage to be gained? Are the thousandsuniversities (HBCU) is at anall time high. An act was signed that reduced the sentences of blacks incar-of black lives lost each year acceptable losses that we canceratedunderthedraconian1994CrimeBilland freed thousands of black inmates. simply ignore or downplay? SPOILERALERT:Allthishappenedunderthe Trump Administration. If hes a racist, hes not a very good one. Vote like your life and freedom depends on it because it does. WOKE OR AWAKE.1.Marvin Sapp -6.Hope Anthology -Chosen VesselVarious2.Tasha Cobbs Leonard -7.Michael W. Smith - Royalty Live Still Vol. 13.Jekalyn Carr - Changing8.Melvin Crispell Iii - Your Story - Live I've Got A Testimony4.Chicago Mass - 9.Myron Butler - My TributeMy Soul Says Yes 10 Luther Barnes - 5.Koryn Hawthorne - I Am Look To The Hills2 NOVEMBER 2020 BOCNEWS.com"