Police Abuse: Reform or Revolution?

Police Abuse: Reform or Revolution?

By ROBERTO Dr. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ

Aug 1, The Progressive Populist

Police reforms; if this is the end result of the primarily Black uprisings of the past five years, we might as well quit before we begin. Exhibit A is the President’s executive order on policing, which is, at best, misnamed. Exhibit B is that whatever Congress agrees to eventually has to be signed off by unrepentant bigots at the highest levels of government.

The proposed reforms, particularly as a result of the killing of George Floyd, are akin to taking water guns to a forest fire. The proposed reforms also mask the fundamental problem in this society that cannot be fixed with reforms; in this society – which began as a slave nation-state on Indian lands and has subsequently always had the racial character of an apartheid state – people of color are treated by all of its institutions as unwanted enemy others and subjected to a system of control. FOR THE REST OF THE COLUMN, GO TO https://www.populist.com/26.13.rodriguez.html

To go to the Aug 1 issue of the Progressive Populist, please go to: https://www.populist.com/index.html

https://www.populist.com/index.html

The End of Truth; The Triumph of Lying

By ROBERTO DR. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ

MARCH 1, 2020

The legacy of the impeachment saga will not be whether senators ignored or accepted the evidence, but rather something even much bigger; that truth indeed no longer appears to matter, inside or outside of the courtroom. This is bigger than whether a corrupt conman stays in office or whether he is elected to a second term or even an unconstitutional third term or if he illegally seizes power for life.

No. What is even bigger, or what goes hand-in-hand with these developments, is that the erosion of the concept of the truth has arguably rendered a free and independent press irrelevant and has left Congress virtually impotent, but has also actually brought us to the brink of the collapse of democracy itself. That’s how much the truth matters.

This erosion of the importance of truth has not happened overnight. It has eroded by carving out exceptions and conveniently looking the other way. For instance, one lie from one president is actually considered greater and more offensive than the thousands of lies and counting by another president. This has been playing out in real time before our very eyes and ears these past few years. For instance, while in office, former President Bill Clinton lied before the Grand Jury and was impeached as a result. Conversely, the current occupant of the White House has told the public more than 16,000-plus lies while in office, with hardly a whimper. Aside from his corruption and insults against Mexicans, Muslims, migrants, African Americans, women, the disabled, the LGBT community, etc., common decency would have dictated that his serial lying alone during his campaign should have disqualified him from being able to run for office. But here we are now. FOR THE REST OF THE COLUMN, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/26.04.rodriguez.html

C-19 AND WHY RED, BLACK & BROWN?

C-19 AND WHY RED, BLACK & BROWN?

June 1 The Progressive Populist
By ROBERTO DR CINTLI RODRIGUEZ

I spent 29 years as a writer before returning to school to get a Ph.D. I remember the first thing I was taught in working on my dissertation was to focus like a laser beam on the topic I had chosen to study.

In my case, it was the role of maiz in the development of culture(s) in what is today the Americas. Way too broad, I was told, though I stuck to my machetes and ended up creating a dissertation that spanned the 7,000-year history of maiz on this hemisphere.

For 29 years, I had already been doing precisely that, always examining the bigger picture in my attempt to comprehend the nature of social justice. This same idea has come to mind in the middle of the coronavirus crises, in which most of this nation’s citizens appear not to be able to see the forest for the trees.

While we as a nation are attempting to solve this crisis, one of the things that we have learned is that the American Indian and Black and Brown communities of this nation are being especially hit hard by this pandemic. This should come as no surprise to anyone. Also, not to be forgotten is that Asians also are being subjected to unprecedented levels of hate crimes, compliments of the president’s scapegoating of China. THE REST OF THE COLUMN CAN BE FOUND IN THE JUNE 1 ISSUE OF THE PROGRESSIVE POPULIST AT: https://www.populist.com/index.html
YOU CAN GO DIRECT TO THE COLUMN AT: https://www.populist.com/26.10.rodriguez.html

The C-19 Apocalypse: Beyond a Sci-Fi Reality

The C-19 Apocalypse: Beyond a Sci-Fi Reality
By ROBERTO Dr. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ
Thirty-seven years ago, I wrote a sci-fi story called nuclear dreams. It was about the aftermath of nuclear destruction, something that eerily resembles today’s reality.

I’ve always been athletic and so I always have a need to be outdoors. Today is no different. I cycle daily because it’s either that or my laptop, TV and Bad News.

That’s not to say that I’m not cautious. Quite the opposite. When I bike, I wear a bandana-covered surgical mask and gloves when I need them, and I always keep a safe distance from everyone, whether I’m biking, walking and especially sitting (I do this because I noticed weeks ago that when people without masks approach me, they usually cough. Cabrones!). FOR THE REST IOF THE COLUMN, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/26.11.rodriguez.html FOR THE JUNE 15 ISSUE OF THE PROGRESSIVE POPULIST, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/index.html

Will We Be Able to Breathe in 2021? BILINGUAL/BILINGUE

Will We Be Able to Breathe in 2021?

The Progressive Populist, July 1-15, 2020

By ROBERTO Dr. CINTLI Roberto Cintli Rodriguez

To describe the current administration as an unmitigated disaster – as a result of the pandemic, the George Floyd-inspired uprisings and the erratic and undemocratic nature of everything the current president does – is now cliché.

He came into office as a narcissistic conman and failed businessman, with totalitarian tendencies. For those that admired that in a new US president, he has not disappointed. And precisely because of his erratic and abhorrent nature, no one can predict his ‘strongman’ antics two weeks from now, nor what kind of country we will be living in, the next several months.

But if we were to jump ahead, say one year from now, and ask what the state of police brutality will be in this country, regardless of who is living in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we should be able to answer that question easily.

If the current president is still in office, things will not be very different than they are right now (bad), though most likely, worse. While this insurrection was initially triggered by the police murder of Floyd in Minneapolis — which highlights the historic brutality against the African American community — an actual breakdown of statistics will also show that the red and brown communities of this nation/continent have also always been subjected to this similar brutality, regardless of who has been in power.

FOR THE REST OF THE COLUMN, PLEASE GO TO: https://www.populist.com/26.12.rodriguez.html TO VISIT THE ENTIRE JULY 1 ISSUE, PLEASE GO TO: https://www.populist.com/current.html

Healing in the Years of Pestilence /Curación en los años de la pestilencia

Healing in the Years of Pestilence

By ROBERTO Dr. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ

I have a friend who I hesitate to name because I find it difficult to explain her existence; one day she did not exist and next thing you know, we’re virtually running partners. She’s actually a healer and perhaps that explains the attraction; I’ve always been surrounded by healers.

The thing is, as a life-long writer, I’ve written about every topic, except the healers in my midst.

My mother was a healer who prayed to the four directions. Once, when a priest collapsed in a packed church, my mother made her way to the front, prayed over him, then got the entire congregation to also do the same. While praying over him with a cross, he jumped back up like a jumping jack and asked her for the cross. Because it was a family cross – used on my father who had been given his last rites, and lived another 25 years – she refused, but later brought him a similar one.

TO READ THE REST OF THE COLUMN, GO TO THE MAY 15 ISSUE OF THE PROGRESSIVE POPULIST: https://www.populist.com/index.html

IF YOU WANT TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE COLUMN, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/26.09.rodriguez.html

Curación en los años de la pestilencia

Por Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez

Tengo una amiga que dudo en nombrar porque me resulta difícil explicar su existencia; un día ella no existía y de repente, ahora prácticamente somos socios. En realidad, es una sanadora y tal vez eso explica la atracción; Siempre he estado rodeado de sanadoras.

La cuestión es que, como escritor por toda mi vida, he escrito sobre todos los temas, excepto las sanadoras en mi medio.

Mi madre era una sanadora que rezaba a las cuatro direcciones. Una vez, cuando un sacerdote se derrumbó en una iglesia llena, mi madre se dirigió al frente, oró por él y luego hizo que toda la congregación hiciera lo mismo. Mientras rezaba por él con una cruz, saltó hacia atrás como un gato saltador y le pidió la cruz.

Como se trataba de una cruz familiar, utilizada por mi padre a quien le habían dado sus últimos ritos y vivió otros 25 años, ella se negó, pero más tarde le trajo uno similar. PARA LEER EL RESTO DE LA COLUMNA, VAYA AL NÚMERO 15 DE MAYO DEL POPULISTA PROGRESIVO: https://www.populist.com/index.html

SI DESEA IR DIRECTAMENTE A LA COLUMNA, VAYA A: https://www.populist.com/26.09.rodriguez.html

From The Progressive Populist, May 15, 2020

WHEN A VIRUS & VIRULENT RACIAL SUPREMACY COLLIDE - Progressive Populist

WHEN A VIRUS & VIRULENT RACIAL SUPREMACY COLLIDE

By ROBERTO Dr. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ.

Who would have ever imagined a US president intentionally stirring up racial hatred and animosity, especially in the middle of an extreme global pandemic?

Even more shocking has been the virtual silence from those literally in his midst, including medical professionals, emergency officials and appointed and elected officials, this while he has been stirring up anti-Chinese sentiment. Compared to those that are remaining silent, a few journalists have actually had the temerity to question the president about his intentional scapegoating, not only of an entire country, but entire peoples, which includes all Asian peoples, as white supremacists, historically, have rarely been able to differentiate between Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Vietnamese peoples, etc.

FOR THE REST OF THE COLUMN, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/26.07.rodiguez.html

TO READ THE ENTIRE APRIL 15 ISSUE, GO TO: https://www.populist.com/

* Since the White House occupant made his statements, he has “taken back” his comments, but violence against Asians has skyrocketed and White supremacy continues to be his philosophical center. See: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/asian-americans-report-nearly-500-racist-acts-over-last-week-n1169821?https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/asian-americans-report-nearly-500-racist-acts-over-last-week-n1169821?fbclid=IwAR3AbB0xGXeWJIZhe6hepr2MgYCJlRFJ0PyNZD213pANtfEWwv52WxffcBkfbclid=IwAR3AbB0xGXeWJIZhe6hepr2MgYCJlRFJ0PyNZD213pANtfEWwv52WxffcBk