#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: Finally! Another First with the Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

NNPA NEWSWIRE — While many social media posters questioned the messages that our children would glean from “the slap heard around the world” at the 2022 Academy Awards, I wondered what take-aways our children would glean from the awful “verbal slaps” of disrespect and mid-sentence cutoffs lodged against the brilliant jurist, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The post COMMENTARY: Finally! Another First with the Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2022

Oakland Post

My Truth

By Cheryl Smith, Publisher, Texas Metro News and iMessenger Media

Sorry, “Ms. Jackson.” Those words ring in my ears to the tune of the same song by hip-hop’s legendary OutKast.

Yes, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is owed an apology for the treatment she received during her recent Senate confirmation hearings.

I won’t hold my breath, though.

While many social media posters questioned the messages that our children would glean from “the slap heard around the world” at the 2022 Academy Awards, I wondered what take-aways our children would glean from the awful “verbal slaps” of disrespect and mid-sentence cutoffs lodged against the brilliant jurist, Ms. Jackson.

These jabs appeared OK to many.

However, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), former mayor of Newark, my birth city, didn’t have time for foolishness.

He eloquently – and respectfully addressed Judge Jackson, affirming her skills and abilities and, by extension, those of so many other accomplished women.

I call it his finest moment. I wonder what future generations will say when they look back at these “slaps?”

Decades from now, my descendants will read my thoughts and feelings during the historic vote to confirm Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court.

My heart raced at a faster pace than usual.

Which brings me to my truth.

Part of me wants to go into a secluded, dark room — away from everyone — where I can release every emotion imaginable.

Poet extraordinaire Nikki Giovanni encourages this practice. I find it helpful for my balancing act and emotional stability.

Tears, laughter, silence, screams, prayers! I would let it all out!

At some point, I would probably dance.

I would be cheering for Judge Jackson, this country’s first Black woman to serve as a United States Supreme Court judge.

I would reserve some moments of elation for pioneering activist Constance Baker Motley; economist and attorney Sadie T.M. Alexander; trailblazing attorney Charlotte E. Ray; Judge Jane Bolin, the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Law School and the first to become a judge in the United States, and too many others to mention in this space.

The Constitution does not require Supreme Court Justices to be lawyers or have attended law school. So, I can’t help but question whether some Black women, including U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan of Texas; journalist Ida B. Wells Barnett; educator, activist and philanthropist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune; and civil rights activist Dr. Dorothy Irene Height all might have received the nod. That is had it not been for the racial norms of their day.

There are many others who have come before us who were eminently qualified but denied opportunity.

It’s important to pay homage to Black women who were refused the privilege of serving at higher capacities, including legal scholar Lani Guinier and professor and attorney Cheryl Wattley.

I applaud efforts like “Because of Them We Can,” a digital space which Eunice Jones Gibson devotes to teaching and refreshing “Black history while connecting the dots between the past, present and future.”

Because of Them We Can features “sheroes” like Judge Jackson. It serves as a reminder that we have so much to be proud of.

I absolutely love that Judge Jackson publicly acknowledges the giants on whose shoulders she stands.

Future generations, I believe, will view her with pride: She will serve as a role model to many.

I know the work is not over. We must continue urging people to VOTE.

On April 7, 2022, I needed a little time for “me.” I needed to absorb the moment.

I am, like philosopher, scholar and humanitarian Pastor Frederick D. Haynes III says, “feeling peacock proud and hyena happy!”

The post COMMENTARY: Finally! Another First with the Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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#NNPA BlackPress

#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

Published

3 weeks ago

August 20, 2024

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#NNPA BlackPress

Democrats Call for Fierce Defense of Democracy and Working-Class Values

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats.

Published

3 weeks ago

August 20, 2024

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

In an electrifying moment at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that likely set the tone for the party’s campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the opening night, seizing the stage to the triumphant anthem of Beyoncé’s “Freedom.” The crowd erupted with fire in her voice as Harris declared, “I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden. Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you.” The first night of the DNC was more than a celebration; it was a battle cry. Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats. The message was clear: Biden’s work is not done, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are ready to continue that fight.

Speakers who are most familiar with Biden, such as Senators Raphael Warnock and Chris Coons, as well as Dr. Jill Biden and Ashley Biden, shared stories that painted a picture of a president who is unwaveringly dedicated to the American people. “In public and in private, President Biden never backed down from his vision for an America where everyone has a fair shot,” Warnock emphasized. Dr. Biden and Ashley Biden gave heartfelt tributes to the man who led the nation and his family with steadfast devotion. The emotional high point of the evening came when Biden, introduced by his daughter Ashley, took the stage to a thunderous ovation as “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher” filled the arena. The crowd’s response was deafening, with chants of “We love Joe” and “Thank You, Joe” reverberating throughout the hall, a powerful testament to Biden’s connection with the American people.

In a speech that was as much a rallying cry as it was a reflection on his presidency, Biden delivered a stark reminder of what’s at stake. “Let me ask you… Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” Biden’s words resonated as he recalled the perilous moment of his inauguration, just weeks after supporters of the twice-impeached former president stormed the U.S. Capitol. “You cannot say I love my country only when you win,” Biden asserted. “The winter of peril and possibility has passed, and with a grateful heart, I stand before you to report that democracy has prevailed. But now, democracy must be preserved.” Biden highlighted the progress made under his administration, pointing to economic recovery, healthcare expansion, and the battle against corporate greed. He singled out Harris’s critical role in these achievements. “We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the world… More Americans have health insurance than at any time in American history. And we finally beat big pharma. Guess who cast the tie-breaking vote? Vice President and soon-to-be President Kamala Harris. Now it’s the law of the land—$35 a month for insulin.”

The evening was charged with passionate speeches that struck the heart of the nation’s issues. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a searing indictment of Donald Trump, contrasting Harris’s steadfast dedication to American values with Trump’s chaotic legacy. “Kamala won’t disrespect our military and our veterans,” Clinton declared to thunderous applause. “She will defend democracy and our Constitution and will protect America from enemies foreign and domestic. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made history as the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a fiery endorsement of Harris, framing her as the champion of the middle-class needs. “In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class,” Ocasio-Cortez proclaimed. “She understands the urgency of rent checks, groceries, and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed. She is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring hostages home.”

Ocasio-Cortez didn’t hold back in her critique of Trump, accusing him of being a self-serving demagogue. “Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” she said. “I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life.” The night was filled with moments that galvanized the crowd. Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, invoking the words of Steph Curry, declared, “After the results are tallied that night, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night.’“UAW President Shawn Fain tore off his jacket to reveal a shirt emblazoned with the words “TRUMP IS A SCAB,” igniting the crowd into a fervent chant of “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”

In one of the night’s most pointed moments, Rep. Jasmine Crockett drew a stark contrast between Harris and Trump: “She became a career prosecutor while he became a career criminal. Who would you hire? Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Kamala Harris has a resume, and Donald Trump has a rap sheet with 34 felonies, 2 impeachments, and 1 porn star to prove it.” The NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Melanie Campbell, the President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, led a standing ovation for civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson during the celebration.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also delivered a powerful message that resonated deeply with the audience. “I know that my daughter will see not only a reflection of herself in the White House, but she will experience the deepest part of American values… Kamala Harris—she’s got us.” Harris’s words from earlier in the night echoed as the event ended: “We are at a pivotal moment. The choices we make now will determine the future of our nation. Together, we will fight for the soul of America and build a future where everyone has a fair shot. Our best days are still ahead, and we are ready to lead.”