Op-Ed
Misguided U.S. Foreign Policy Fueled Terrorism
By Lekan Oguntoyinbo
NNPA Columnist
They were young and largely impoverished. To find work, they had migrated from their native Egypt to a mid-coastal city in Libya, an unstable country that in recent years has become extremely attractive to agents of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, more commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, a group of murderers masquerading as Muslims.
Agents of the Libyan branch of ISIS seized the 21 men and, according to a video released by the terrorist organization, they were beheaded last weekend – one at a time. The murdered men all had one thing in common – they were Copts, members of an ancient Egyptian church that may be the world’s oldest Christian denomination.
The deaths of these men should stir the souls of the architects of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, for the savage murder of these young men is one of the consequences of that war. The invasion, coupled with the dismantling of that nation’s military and security force, created an unstable region that has increasingly had reverberations around the world (more on that later).
The death of these men is horrific on so many levels. First, it is just one of several body blows Egyptian Copts have endured in recent years. Copts are Egypt’s largest religious minority and make up more than 10 percent of the population. The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the First Century, when St. Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples, introduced Christianity to Alexandria. The church’s worldwide members number about 12 million. Like the Catholic Church, it has a pope. The Coptic Church is credited with introducing monasticism – a religious practice in which devotees fully commit their lives to spiritual work – to Christianity.
But Copts also are marginalized, oppressed and sometimes brutalized.
In the last half-century, clashes between Copts and Muslims has resulted in the deaths of many Copts. In 2011, a car bomb went off outside a Coptic church, killing dozens and injuring dozens more. In 2010, a Muslim mob attacked a group of Copts celebrating the birth of Christ.
There also have been reports of Coptic women being abducted by Muslims, forcibly converted to Islam and married off against their will to Muslim men.
Like many Christian groups in several Middle Eastern countries, such as Iraq and Syria, Copts have become more vulnerable in recent years. This has been particularly so since the overthrow of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Second, while the senseless killings of these men is just another example in the long line of the psychopathic brutality by ISIS, it is also a reminder what’s at stake in this fight.
In the wake of the beheadings, Egypt commenced airstrikes early last week on parts of Libya believed to be strongholds for this group. Egypt, which has lost hundreds of soldiers and police officers to Islamic militants in recent years, has a vested interest in this fight. So does the rest of the world.
Italy, which is just north of Libya, worries that ISIS may extend its operations to Rome. Italian officials believe they may not be militarily prepared to confront this beast.
On the African continent, there is increasing concern about the possibility of a strong alliance between ISIS and Boko Haram, which has been wreaking havoc in northern Nigeria for the past six years, resulting in the deaths of more than 20,000 people and the displacement of more than 1.5 million.
To date, the conflict with Boko Haram has drawn in Cameron, Niger and Chad and looks certain to bring in Benin. There are reports that agents of Boko Haram have been getting their weapons from Libya, smuggling them through neighboring Chad and then bringing them south through Niger.
Of course, the danger to the United States, which is still reeling from the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, cannot be overstated.
Finally, the real tragedy is we are all paying for the fall out of the Bush’s administration’s ill-advised decision to invade Iraq. As former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said at a conference in Munich recently, the United States helped create ISIS by its invasion of Iraq. The U.S. further compounded the problem, he said, by not having a sensible post-invasion security plan for Iraq and for the region.
Yes, Saddam Hussein was a despot who was responsible for the deaths of perhaps 250,000 people. But his presence kept Iraq – and the region around it – stable for decades. Besides, in Iraq alone, perhaps 1 million people have died since the invasion. The instability around the world that was inadvertently triggered by the invasion has led to the deaths of countless more people around the world.
The murder of these young Copts is just one more example of what this misguided foreign policy decision has wrought.
Lekan Oguntoyinbo is an independent journalist. Contact him at oguntoyinbo@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @oguntoyinbo.
###
Activism
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.
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.”
Activism
Councilmembers Ramachandran, Kaplan, Unger Identify Funds to Save Oakland Fire Stations
Our budget crisis – one of the worst in Oakland’s history – is compounded by the fact that people do not feel safe coming to Oakland due to our public safety crisis. By investing in our fundamental public safety resources today, we can send a signal to the world that Oakland is open for business. We have such a rich and vibrant culture, arts, and food scene that is worth celebrating – but we can only showcase this if we are able to keep our neighborhoods safe. Having fully functioning fire stations are absolutely essential to these efforts.
By Janani Ramachandran
There is no greater concern to the people of Oakland today than public safety. Fire stations are the bread and butter of essential city services – and every day that we have stations shuttered, we imperil the lives of our community members. In response to widespread outcry over the current and planned closure of stations, myself, along with Councilmembers Kaplan and Unger, have painstakingly worked to identify millions of dollars of new funding to save our stations. The legislation we introduced on Thursday, February 13th, will amend our budget to prevent the closure of four fire stations that are currently on the chopping block due to our budget crisis and will re-open two closed stations that have already been closed – Station 25 and 28 – in the near future. The resolution that will provide the funding to keep our stations open will go before the full City Council for a vote at our meeting on Tuesday, March 4th at 3:30 PM – and we invite you to join us at City Hall to share your perspective on the topic.
Our budget crisis – one of the worst in Oakland’s history – is compounded by the fact that people do not feel safe coming to Oakland due to our public safety crisis. By investing in our fundamental public safety resources today, we can send a signal to the world that Oakland is open for business. We have such a rich and vibrant culture, arts, and food scene that is worth celebrating – but we can only showcase this if we are able to keep our neighborhoods safe. Having fully functioning fire stations are absolutely essential to these efforts.
With the devastating Los Angeles fire at the top of people’s minds, terrible memories of Oakland’s own wildfires are re-surfacing from the 1991 Oakland Hills Firestorm to the Keller fire just a few months ago – and how essential fire stations are to mitigating these catastrophes. But in Oakland, our fire stations don’t just fight wildfires – they also provide emergency medical services to our most vulnerable constituents, put out structural fires and encampment fires, and much more.
We recognize that there are a number of competing interests and important initiatives fighting for sparse City resources. But from my perspective, core safety services are the most pivotal functions that a City must spend its resources on – especially given the outcry we have heard around fire stations.
The fight to save our stations is not over. The resolution we introduced is a critical first step, and there are hurdles to overcome. If you support keeping our fire stations open, we invite you to be a part of the solution by making your voice heard at the March 4th City Council meeting at 3:30 pm.
Activism
NNPA Launches National Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign
“We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America,” stated NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. “The Black Press of America continues to remain on the frontline keeping our families and communities informed and engaged on all the issues that impact our quality of life.”
Washington, DC: The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, has announced the planning and implementation of a national public education and selective buying campaign across the nation in direct response to those corporate entities that have dismantled their respective Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) commitments, programs and staffing. NNPA Chairman Emeritus Danny Bakewell Sr. explained, “Now is the time for the Black Press of America once again to emphatically speak and publish truth to power.”
“We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America,” stated NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. “The Black Press of America continues to remain on the frontline keeping our families and communities informed and engaged on all the issues that impact our quality of life.”
At a recent convening of NNPA member publishers and editors, a united resolve was reached that each member publication of the NNPA will begin a national public education campaign coupled with the release of research data on those American companies that are engaging in efforts to sanction racial injustice, inequitable polices, divisive leadership, and economic apartheid in America.
“We note forthrightly that Black Americans spend $2 trillion dollars annually as consumers of products and services throughout the United States,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. emphasized. “We now must evaluate and realign to question why we continue to spend our money with companies that do not respect us,” Chavis continued. “This now must come to an end. These contradictions will not go unchallenged by 50 million Black Americans who have struggled for centuries to ensure equality, fairness and inclusion in our nation’s democracy.”
A selective buying campaign involves exercising the right to select what we spend our money on and who we spend our money with. We are starting with targeting TARGET.
The following are some of the major American companies that have publicly retreated from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
- TARGET
- Lowe’s
- John Deer
- Walmart
- Meta
- Tractor Supply
- Amazon
- McDonald’s
- Ford
WORK FROM HOME
Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540
Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025
Oakland’s Most Vulnerable Neighborhoods Are Struggling to Eat and Stay Healthy
Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas Honors California Women in Construction with State Proclamation, Policy Ideas
Report Offers Policies, Ideas to Improve the Workplace Experiences of Black Women in California
Five Years After COVID-19 Began, a Struggling Child Care Workforce Faces New Threats
Trump Order Slashes Federal Agencies Supporting Minority Business and Neighborhood Development
We Fought on Opposite Sides of the Sheng Thao Recall. Here’s Why We’re Uniting Behind Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor
Faith Leaders Back Barbara Lee for Mayor, Criticize Candidate Loren Taylor for Dishonest Campaigning
Group Takes First Steps to Recall District Attorney Diana Becton
Candidates Barbara Lee and Loren Taylor Raise Nearly $550,000 Combined for April 15 Mayor’s Race
District Delegates to State Democratic Party Central Committee Meeting Celebrate Election Victory
Oakland Post: Week of March 19 – 25, 2025
Recently Approved Budget Plan Favors Wealthy, Slashes Aid to Low-Income Americans
A Threat to Pre-emptive Pardons
Reaction to The Education EO
Target Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out as Boycotts Grow
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series
Actor, Philanthropist Blair Underwood Visits Bay Area, Kicks Off Literacy Program in ‘New Oakland’ Initiative
After Years of Working Remotely, Oakland Requires All City Employees to Return to Office by April 7
Lee Releases Strong Statement on Integrity and Ethics in Government
NNPA Launches National Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign
Undocumented Workers Are Struggling to Feed Themselves. Slashed Budgets and New Immigration Policies Bring Fresh Challenges
Lawsuit Accuses UC Schools of Giving Preference to Black and Hispanic Students
Paul Robeson: A Voice for the Ages, A Champion for Justice
Oakland Post: Week of February 26 – March 4, 2025
BREAKING Groundbreaking Singer Angie Stone Dies in Car Accident at 63
OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America
Griot Theater Company Presents August Wilson’s Work at Annual Oratorical Featuring Black Authors
Mayor Jenkins Leads All-Star Community Cleanup
Retired Bay Area Journalist Finds Success in Paris with Black History Tours
LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST
AMG GLC43: The Perfect Blend of Power and Practicality
2024 Mercedes Benz GLC 43 AMG: Ultimate POV Test Drive
Unleashing Power: The GLC43 SUV with 416 HP
Why DeLorean Chose Stainless Steel: Innovations & Patents
DeLorean’s Untold Legacy
Why Driving the DeLorean is a Unique Experience
How Will the Outcome of This Election Affect the Auto Industry?
The Ariya Empower+
Trump vs. Biden: EV Showdown
Election’s Auto Industry Impact
The Auto Industry’s Struggle – Recovering from COVID
Unleash the AMG Power!
DeLorean: The Rise, Fall, and Second Acts of the DeLorean Motor Company
2024 AMG GLC43 SUV Review: Unleashing Mercedes-Benz’s Hybrid-Enhanced Power and Design
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoTarget Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out as Boycotts Grow
-
Activism4 weeks agoUndocumented Workers Are Struggling to Feed Themselves. Slashed Budgets and New Immigration Policies Bring Fresh Challenges
-
Arts and Culture4 weeks agoBeverly Lorraine Greene: A Pioneering Architect and Symbol of Possibility and Progress
-
Activism4 weeks agoOakland Post: Week of March 5 – 11, 2025
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks agoRev. Dr. Jamal Bryant’s Black Church Target Boycott Mobilizes 150,000
-
Activism1 week agoWe Fought on Opposite Sides of the Sheng Thao Recall. Here’s Why We’re Uniting Behind Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoTrump Moves to Dismantle Education Department
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoFighting to Keep Blackness
Op-Ed
Misguided U.S. Foreign Policy Fueled Terrorism
By Lekan Oguntoyinbo
NNPA Columnist
They were young and largely impoverished. To find work, they had migrated from their native Egypt to a mid-coastal city in Libya, an unstable country that in recent years has become extremely attractive to agents of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, more commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, a group of murderers masquerading as Muslims.
Agents of the Libyan branch of ISIS seized the 21 men and, according to a video released by the terrorist organization, they were beheaded last weekend – one at a time. The murdered men all had one thing in common – they were Copts, members of an ancient Egyptian church that may be the world’s oldest Christian denomination.
The deaths of these men should stir the souls of the architects of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, for the savage murder of these young men is one of the consequences of that war. The invasion, coupled with the dismantling of that nation’s military and security force, created an unstable region that has increasingly had reverberations around the world (more on that later).
The death of these men is horrific on so many levels. First, it is just one of several body blows Egyptian Copts have endured in recent years. Copts are Egypt’s largest religious minority and make up more than 10 percent of the population. The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the First Century, when St. Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples, introduced Christianity to Alexandria. The church’s worldwide members number about 12 million. Like the Catholic Church, it has a pope. The Coptic Church is credited with introducing monasticism – a religious practice in which devotees fully commit their lives to spiritual work – to Christianity.
But Copts also are marginalized, oppressed and sometimes brutalized.
In the last half-century, clashes between Copts and Muslims has resulted in the deaths of many Copts. In 2011, a car bomb went off outside a Coptic church, killing dozens and injuring dozens more. In 2010, a Muslim mob attacked a group of Copts celebrating the birth of Christ.
There also have been reports of Coptic women being abducted by Muslims, forcibly converted to Islam and married off against their will to Muslim men.
Like many Christian groups in several Middle Eastern countries, such as Iraq and Syria, Copts have become more vulnerable in recent years. This has been particularly so since the overthrow of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Second, while the senseless killings of these men is just another example in the long line of the psychopathic brutality by ISIS, it is also a reminder what’s at stake in this fight.
In the wake of the beheadings, Egypt commenced airstrikes early last week on parts of Libya believed to be strongholds for this group. Egypt, which has lost hundreds of soldiers and police officers to Islamic militants in recent years, has a vested interest in this fight. So does the rest of the world.
Italy, which is just north of Libya, worries that ISIS may extend its operations to Rome. Italian officials believe they may not be militarily prepared to confront this beast.
On the African continent, there is increasing concern about the possibility of a strong alliance between ISIS and Boko Haram, which has been wreaking havoc in northern Nigeria for the past six years, resulting in the deaths of more than 20,000 people and the displacement of more than 1.5 million.
To date, the conflict with Boko Haram has drawn in Cameron, Niger and Chad and looks certain to bring in Benin. There are reports that agents of Boko Haram have been getting their weapons from Libya, smuggling them through neighboring Chad and then bringing them south through Niger.
Of course, the danger to the United States, which is still reeling from the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, cannot be overstated.
Finally, the real tragedy is we are all paying for the fall out of the Bush’s administration’s ill-advised decision to invade Iraq. As former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said at a conference in Munich recently, the United States helped create ISIS by its invasion of Iraq. The U.S. further compounded the problem, he said, by not having a sensible post-invasion security plan for Iraq and for the region.
Yes, Saddam Hussein was a despot who was responsible for the deaths of perhaps 250,000 people. But his presence kept Iraq – and the region around it – stable for decades. Besides, in Iraq alone, perhaps 1 million people have died since the invasion. The instability around the world that was inadvertently triggered by the invasion has led to the deaths of countless more people around the world.
The murder of these young Copts is just one more example of what this misguided foreign policy decision has wrought.
Lekan Oguntoyinbo is an independent journalist. Contact him at oguntoyinbo@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @oguntoyinbo.
###
Activism
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.
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.”
Activism
Councilmembers Ramachandran, Kaplan, Unger Identify Funds to Save Oakland Fire Stations
Our budget crisis – one of the worst in Oakland’s history – is compounded by the fact that people do not feel safe coming to Oakland due to our public safety crisis. By investing in our fundamental public safety resources today, we can send a signal to the world that Oakland is open for business. We have such a rich and vibrant culture, arts, and food scene that is worth celebrating – but we can only showcase this if we are able to keep our neighborhoods safe. Having fully functioning fire stations are absolutely essential to these efforts.
By Janani Ramachandran
There is no greater concern to the people of Oakland today than public safety. Fire stations are the bread and butter of essential city services – and every day that we have stations shuttered, we imperil the lives of our community members. In response to widespread outcry over the current and planned closure of stations, myself, along with Councilmembers Kaplan and Unger, have painstakingly worked to identify millions of dollars of new funding to save our stations. The legislation we introduced on Thursday, February 13th, will amend our budget to prevent the closure of four fire stations that are currently on the chopping block due to our budget crisis and will re-open two closed stations that have already been closed – Station 25 and 28 – in the near future. The resolution that will provide the funding to keep our stations open will go before the full City Council for a vote at our meeting on Tuesday, March 4th at 3:30 PM – and we invite you to join us at City Hall to share your perspective on the topic.
Our budget crisis – one of the worst in Oakland’s history – is compounded by the fact that people do not feel safe coming to Oakland due to our public safety crisis. By investing in our fundamental public safety resources today, we can send a signal to the world that Oakland is open for business. We have such a rich and vibrant culture, arts, and food scene that is worth celebrating – but we can only showcase this if we are able to keep our neighborhoods safe. Having fully functioning fire stations are absolutely essential to these efforts.
With the devastating Los Angeles fire at the top of people’s minds, terrible memories of Oakland’s own wildfires are re-surfacing from the 1991 Oakland Hills Firestorm to the Keller fire just a few months ago – and how essential fire stations are to mitigating these catastrophes. But in Oakland, our fire stations don’t just fight wildfires – they also provide emergency medical services to our most vulnerable constituents, put out structural fires and encampment fires, and much more.
We recognize that there are a number of competing interests and important initiatives fighting for sparse City resources. But from my perspective, core safety services are the most pivotal functions that a City must spend its resources on – especially given the outcry we have heard around fire stations.
The fight to save our stations is not over. The resolution we introduced is a critical first step, and there are hurdles to overcome. If you support keeping our fire stations open, we invite you to be a part of the solution by making your voice heard at the March 4th City Council meeting at 3:30 pm.
Activism
NNPA Launches National Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign
“We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America,” stated NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. “The Black Press of America continues to remain on the frontline keeping our families and communities informed and engaged on all the issues that impact our quality of life.”
Washington, DC: The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, has announced the planning and implementation of a national public education and selective buying campaign across the nation in direct response to those corporate entities that have dismantled their respective Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) commitments, programs and staffing. NNPA Chairman Emeritus Danny Bakewell Sr. explained, “Now is the time for the Black Press of America once again to emphatically speak and publish truth to power.”
“We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America,” stated NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. “The Black Press of America continues to remain on the frontline keeping our families and communities informed and engaged on all the issues that impact our quality of life.”
At a recent convening of NNPA member publishers and editors, a united resolve was reached that each member publication of the NNPA will begin a national public education campaign coupled with the release of research data on those American companies that are engaging in efforts to sanction racial injustice, inequitable polices, divisive leadership, and economic apartheid in America.
“We note forthrightly that Black Americans spend $2 trillion dollars annually as consumers of products and services throughout the United States,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. emphasized. “We now must evaluate and realign to question why we continue to spend our money with companies that do not respect us,” Chavis continued. “This now must come to an end. These contradictions will not go unchallenged by 50 million Black Americans who have struggled for centuries to ensure equality, fairness and inclusion in our nation’s democracy.”
A selective buying campaign involves exercising the right to select what we spend our money on and who we spend our money with. We are starting with targeting TARGET.
The following are some of the major American companies that have publicly retreated from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
- TARGET
- Lowe’s
- John Deer
- Walmart
- Meta
- Tractor Supply
- Amazon
- McDonald’s
- Ford
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Target Takes a Hit: $12.4 Billion Wiped Out as Boycotts Grow
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Undocumented Workers Are Struggling to Feed Themselves. Slashed Budgets and New Immigration Policies Bring Fresh Challenges
-
Arts and Culture4 weeks ago
Beverly Lorraine Greene: A Pioneering Architect and Symbol of Possibility and Progress
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 5 – 11, 2025
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant’s Black Church Target Boycott Mobilizes 150,000
-
Activism1 week ago
We Fought on Opposite Sides of the Sheng Thao Recall. Here’s Why We’re Uniting Behind Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Trump Moves to Dismantle Education Department
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Fighting to Keep Blackness
Leave a Reply