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COMMENTARY: The World Needs More Voices of Peace and Love

In these times, our focused attention on life and death history in the world can only be interrupted by more history. That’s what happened when we paused last week for a major breakthrough for democracy in America. Ketanji Brown Jackson is the new 116th Associate Supreme Court Justice of the United States.

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Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a talk show on www.amok.com
Emil hosts “Emil Amok’s Takeout,” at 2 p.m. Pacific on Facebook; his YouTube Channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www.amok.com.

By Emil Guillermo

The killing will not be paused for the holy days.

And so, the cities of Bucha and Kramatorsk and Mariupol must be top of mind as the war crimes and atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine command the focus of the free world.

It’s the kind of violence that overshadows all. Not just globally, but in our nation and cities. Six people were killed in Sacramento in a nightclub shooting two weeks ago. Didn’t hear about it? Too local compared with tens of thousands of people killed in Ukraine. Not unless it’s a subway shooting in New York. And then the media capital can’t resist.

In these times, our focused attention on life and death history in the world can only be interrupted by more history.

That’s what happened when we paused last week for a major breakthrough for democracy in America.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is the new 116th Associate Supreme Court Justice of the United States.

The Good History

By a 53-47 vote, the high-water mark of bipartisanship in our dismally divided country, Jackson has been confirmed by the Senate and will take Justice Stephen Breyer’s seat upon his retirement this June.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D.-Ill.) set the scene before the historic vote.

Of 115 who served on the court, there have been just five women, two Blacks, and no Black women, said Leahy.

It was the definition of the privilege of white supremacy in our history.

No one has looked like Ketanji Brown Jackson Not on the highest court in the land.

Durbin added more historical context. When the Supreme Court first met in the Capitol in 1801, he pointed out there were 1 million enslaved people in a nation of 5 million people. And neither Blacks nor white women had a constitutional right to vote. Black women had no place in the court, and could only come in at night to clean, he said.

Durbin briefly touched on the evolution of America, from the bloody Civil War to the decades-long efforts to break down racial barriers.

And now a new chapter.

“And that chapter begins with three letters, KBJ,” said Durbin. “Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to the highest court in the land.”

Durbin then recalled how in that week, 54 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed in Memphis. He quoted from King’s speech at the Mason Temple on April 3, 1968: “I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the promise land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promise land.”

And now, in a way, we have. But we have still some work to do.

Oakland Remembers April 4

If you were at an Oakland Public Library on April 4, you know Dr. King was remembered for another speech he gave in 1967. At New York City’s Riverside Church, King delivered words that merged the peace movement with the Civil Rights Movement.

King was concerned that Blacks and whites were fighting and dying together in Vietnam “for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools.”

And then he connected violence there with the violence at home.

“I knew I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government,” said King. “I cannot be silent.”

We need that voice again today.

King called for a “genuine revolution of values,” a call for “world-wide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one’s tribe, race, class, nation.” It is “a call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all men.” And King saw it not as a sign of weakness, but one that has “become an absolute necessity for the survival of man.”

Where are the voices for peace and love today?

At some point, fighting wars with sanctions has nothing to do with peace, and everything to do with a more acceptable instrument of war. Will sanctions get Putin to peace talks? Not before he shells entire towns and kills thousands of people.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is arming up Ukraine, feeding a DIY war that it insists it isn’t fighting. Is it enough to say the West is less irrational than Putin?

Maybe this Easter, we’ll hear more people talk about MLK’s anti-war speech.

Yes, Vietnam is not Ukraine. But U.S. restraint is motivated by avoiding boots on the ground. Not about avoiding needless death. Just this week tens of thousands have died in Ukraine. There are the mass graves in Bucha. The missile attack of the train station in Kramatorsk. The near destruction of the city of Mariupol with the civilian death toll estimated in the thousands.

The holy days are upon us. We must begin to hear voices for peace.

Note: Emil hosts “Emil Amok’s Takeout,” at 2 p.m. Pacific on Facebook; his YouTube Channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www.amok.com.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).

By Scott Horton

United States House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) will be a speaker at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 21.

The event will be held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 Tenth Street in Oakland, at 7 p.m.

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

The overarching goal of the lecture series is to provide speakers from diverse backgrounds a platform to offer their answers to Dr. King’s urgent question, which is also the title of Jeffries’ latest book: “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?”

In addition to Jeffries, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) will also speak.

“Certainly, now is a time for humanity, in general, and Americans in particular to honestly and genuinely answer Dr. King’s question,” said Dr. Roy D. Wilson, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Executive Producer of the lecture series.

“Dr. King teaches that time is neutral but not static. Like the water in a river, it arrives and then quickly moves on,” continued Wilson. “We must urgently create conditions for listening to many different answers to this vital question, and generate the development of unity of action among all those who struggle for a stronger democracy.”

In his book, Jeffries shares his experience of being unanimously elected by his colleagues as the first African American in history to ever hold the position of House Minority Leader.

In January 2023 in Washington, Jeffries made his first official speech as House Minority Leader. He affirmed Democratic values one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words and how he framed them as the alphabet caught the attention of Americans, and the speech was later turned into a book, The ABCs of Democracy, bringing Congressman Jeffries rousing speech to vivid, colorful life, including illustrations by Shaniya Carrington. The speech and book are inspiring and urgent as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a country with equal opportunities for all. Jeffries paints a road map for a brighter American future and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

Before his colleagues unanimously elected him Minority Leader in 2022, Jeffries previously served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as an Impeachment Manager during the first Senate trial of the 45th President of the United States.

Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church and he is a product of New York City’s public school system, graduating from Midwood High School. Jefferies went on to Binghamton University (BA), Georgetown University (master’s in public policy) and New York University (JD).

He served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Admission is free for the Feb. 21 Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series featuring Congressman Jeffries. Please reserve seats by calling the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center at (510) 434-3988.

Signed copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

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Actor, Philanthropist Blair Underwood Visits Bay Area, Kicks Off Literacy Program in ‘New Oakland’ Initiative

These community activations were coordinated with the San Francisco-based non-profit program “Room to Read.” Ray said he is also donating his time to read and take pictures with students to encourage their engagement and to inspire them to read more. The inspirational book “Clifford Ray Saves the Day” highlights Clifford Ray’s true story of saving a dolphin.

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Blair Underwood (left) and Barbara Lee (right). Courtesy photo.
Blair Underwood (left) and Barbara Lee (right). Courtesy photo.

By Paul Cobb
New Oakland Series
Opinion Part 3

The Post mentioned three weeks ago that a number of our local luminaries were coming together to support the “New Oakland” movement. As this current national administration continues to eliminate our “legacy” institutional policies and programs left and right, most communities find themselves beyond “frozen” in fear.

Well, esteemed actor, long-time Bay Area supporter, and philanthropist Blair Underwood returned to Oakland this week to speak with city leaders, community trust agents, students, the Oakland Post, and local celebrities alike to continue his “New Oakland” initiative.

This week, he kicked off his “Guess Who’s Coming to Read” literacy program in some of Oakland’s middle schools. Clifford Ray, who played the center position of the 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors, donated close to 1,000 books. Ray’s fellow teammate Charles “The Hopper” Dudley also gave Converse sneakers to students.

These community activations were coordinated with the San Francisco-based non-profit program “Room to Read.” Ray said he is also donating his time to read and take pictures with students to encourage their engagement and to inspire them to read more. The inspirational book “Clifford Ray Saves the Day” highlights Clifford Ray’s true story of saving a dolphin.

Underwood also spent quality time with the Oakland Ballers ownership group and visited the amazing Raimondi Park West Oakland community revitalization site. In the 1996 TV film Soul of the Game, Underwood played the role of the legendary first Black Major League Baseball player Jackie Robinson and commended the Ballers owners.

“This group of sports enthusiasts/ philanthropists needs to be applauded for their human capital investment and their financial capital investment,” Underwood said. “Truly putting their money and passion to work,” Underwood said.

Underwood was also inspired by mayoral candidate Barbara Lee’s open-minded invitation to bring public-private partnership opportunities to Oakland.

Underwood said he wants to “reinforce the importance of ‘collaborative activism’ among those most marginalized by non-empathic leadership. We must ‘act out’ our discomfort with passionate intentions to create healthy change.”

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