America: Choosing violence since 1619

The Tuesday Talking Points!

Nobody asked me, but...

***It irks me when I read questions like, "why are Democrats politicizing the mass murders in Buffalo and Uvalde?" 

The only sane answer is: "why not?"

From little school aged children to octogenarians, the faces and names of the dead know neither Republicans nor Democrats, not anymore at least. But their untimely deaths—and their memories—cry out from the morgue for justice, and anyone who is unwilling to place their devotion to political ideology aside to recognize that these age-old problems demand new-age solutions is complicit in their deaths!

***As of yesterday, 17 survivors of last week's mass shooting in Texas remain hospitalized, with one still listed in serious condition, one in fair condition, and three others listed in good condition. 

My prayers remain with the physically wounded, as well as with those survivors who will bear psychological scars for the  rest of their lives. 

In solemn remembrance…

***While progress has been slow, and while most proposals for gun control have been drafted by Democrats, some Republicans are warming to the idea that doing nothing is not an option. 

Yesterday, Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson suggested that state legislatures should look into ways to control the deadly AR-15 weapon that is the preferred instrument of death for most mass murderers. Among his suggestions was raising the minimum age to purchase one from 18 to 21, the same age necessary to purchase alcohol. 

While such falls short of my proposal to repeal the Second Amendment entirely and start over from scratch, another potential legislative outcome could be the removal of liability for gun manufacturers in civil lawsuits. 

Last year, New York enacted such a measure that allows lawsuits under a civil public nuisance theory. From my point of vantage, if trial lawyers hit the right gun manufacturers with enough million and billion dollar verdicts, gun control change will come—and fast!

***Isn't it ironic how, the same U.S. Supreme Court that will soon ban abortions, all under the guise of saving unborn lives, will also rule soon on New York's legislative actions on gun control; actions taken to, well, save lives?

Should the Supreme Court ban abortion while allowing gun manufacturers leeway to sell their instruments of death with no stipulations, such would only prove, once more, that "preserving life" is not the aim of anti-abortion jurists—rather, their aim is to control women's bodies.  

***I spent some time recently at my very last elementary school, the Lucy Moten School on the campus of Florida A&M University, one that is currently used by the School of Education for staff offices. 

Lucy Moten Elementary School

This building, one that's over a century old, is where I spent three of my happiest childhood years (from 4th through 6th grade), learning and playing inside, outside, and around its hallowed halls.

When I think back to those very happy days, I never once thought that a gunman would walk into the building and open fire on me and my schoolmates, teachers, and administrators.

Oh, how far has America fallen into death and disorder in but four short decades?

***In lighter news, if you know me well, then you know that my favorite Star Wars character has ALWAYS been Darth Vader.

Well, my second favorite is now Reva, one of Darth Vader's “Inquisitors” who is helping the Sith Lord hunt down his old Jedi comrades on the new Disney + series: Obi Wan Kenobi!

Reva is played by Moses Ingram (above), a talented 29-year-old Black actress. Since the show debuted last week, the Star Wars social media sites have received thousands of hateful, racist messages from "fans" who are mad that a Black woman has such a prominent role. The messages got so bad that Disney took the step of addressing it publicly:

While reading some of the hateful comments, it is clear that the Instagram and Facebook racists who don't like seeing Black faces in Star Wars places, the one's who think they are superior due to their skin complexion, also really and truly struggle with spelling, syntax, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement 😆.

While there are many intelligent racists, it seems that the bulk of them are dumb, to our collective chagrin. 

***Speaking of dumb racists, consider U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and her latest warning to her supporters that, "the government is planning to monitor their eating habits and 'zap' them until they eat fake meat grown in a 'peach tree dish.'"

It seems as if Missy Greene can’t distinguish between "peach tree dish” (which doesn't exist), and a "Petri" dish (which surely do exist).

Again, oh, how far has America fallen...

Graduation Congratulations

Moving on from the dim-witted, the Hobbservation Point extends kudos to two sublimely intelligent young ladies who graduated with honors from their respective high schools last week. 

The first is my Goddaughter, Miss Kalilah Taite, the daughter of Kenneth and Shenifah Taite. 

Kalilah will be attending Florida A&M University this fall and majoring in Theater and minoring in Communications. 

Congratulations!

The second is Miss Amaya Loubeau, the daughter of Nikki Hill Loubeau and Antoine Loubeau! 

Amaya will be attending Spelman College this fall, where she will major in International Studies-Political Science (with a minor in Theater studies). 

Congratulations, young ladies, on your scholastic excellence ❤!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been my father's birthday, so I spent some time yesterday at Southside Cemetery adorning his grave with a new flag, red roses, and red/white carnations for a “good Kappa” whose spirit dwells along "those Golden Shores..." 

Rest in peace, Sir ❤!

Thank you for subscribing to the Hobbservation Point—have a wonderful Tuesday!