Still Riding with Biden - Follow His Lead

 By Mildred Robertson 

On June 21, 2024, President Joe Biden took the unprecedented step of stepping down as the presidential candidate for the 2024 election. It was an act that knocked the breath from many of his supporters. He made his announcement with dignity and integrity, passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. It was heart-wrenching. It was also, perhaps, necessary.

My confidence in Joe Biden has not faltered. My confidence that the American public would be able to look past his faltering footsteps, verbal missteps, and physical deterioration was not as strong. The media onslaught, fueled by leading democrats who were willing to publicly question his ability to serve made it impossible for him to continue. While I am confident that he could have finished the job, the job remains unfinished. That is why I believe those who professed that we were "Ridin' with Biden" must continue that journey by following his lead. He said that selecting Harris as his running mate was "the best decision I've made," and enthusiastically threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to top the Democratic ticket. I plan to do the same.

Harris, who previously served as a US senator and attorney general of California, made history as the first vice president who is a woman, Black, or of Indian descent. Now, she is positioned to replace him on the ticket in 2024 and break yet another glass ceiling. In addition to being the first woman of color to become vice president, she may well become the first woman to lead the free world as President of the United States.

I look forward to the Democratic Party coalescing behind this candidate. She will be a formidable challenger to 45. I anticipate a campaign that will clearly define who she is, and highlight her experience, integrity, and character; traits necessary to lead this country away from the darkness epitomized by the Trump campaign.

Violence is Not the Answer to Political Discord

 By Mildred Robertson

The events at the Trump rally on July 13, were unspeakable. There is no reason for a person to fear for his or her life just to participate in the political process. My heart goes out to the families of the folks who suffered injuries or lost their lives. That being said, the violence that landed on Donald Trump's doorstep is simply chickens coming home to roost. From the moment he rode down the golden escalator to declare his presidency, to the day that he was shot, Donald Trump spoke hate and violence to his followers.

He urged his followers to beat up protestors at his rallies and promised to pay their bail. He suggested in an online post that Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, deserved to face the death penalty. He wanted to use the military to shoot peaceful protestors in the street. He called for shoplifters in California to be shot on sight. He mocked former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., with the violent attack her husband Paul suffered during a home invasion last year.

This is not to say that the assassination attempt was justified. It was horrifying! But the fact is that Trump himself has fueled this toxic political environment where one might have to give up his or her life simply for their political beliefs, whether progressive or conservative.

As a North Carolinian, I cannot embark upon this conversation without singling out gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson who just weeks ago called for the extrajudicial killing of people he considered to be enemies of Christian America. This MAGA Republican stated at a rally in North Carolina, “Some folks need killing... It’s a matter of necessity!”

There is a political necessity now. We must take these next three months to learn the platforms of those folks vying for leadership in our local and national communities. We must measure their words against their deeds. We must weigh their political platforms to determine which individuals can move our nation forward, and which will throw us into discord and chaos.

It is unfortunate that an assassin attempted to take the life of a presidential candidate. But what would be more unfortunate would be for the nation to let this travesty distract us from our real challenge.

Every American should become informed about the Republican 2025 platform. Each of us should determine what President Biden stands for. We should seek to understand how the policies he has instituted affect our daily lives. Once informed about the issues that challenge this nation and how various candidates plan to respond to those challenges...THEN WE SHOULD VOTE!

Voting is the proactive response to political discord. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER.

Religion and Politics 2024: It's Personal

 By Mildred Robertson

I am a lifelong churchgoer. I joined Log Providence Missionary Baptist Church when I was 8 years old, although I was 15 when I actually accepted Christ as my personal savior. So, it is safe to say that religion has informed many of my decisions throughout my life. To those who have known me since childhood, I acknowledge that I did not always heed the religious doctrine I was raised in. But as I look back over my life, I see those are the times when things did not go well.

For that reason, I believe each of us should seek a higher power in making our personal life decisions. For me, that is the role religion should play in politics...each individual's personal decision. So it is painful as I watch people purporting to embrace God's calling on us to live an upright life to weaponize His Word for their own personal gain.

Case in point, North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson who identifies as an evangelical Christian and has preached at congregations including Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville, North Carolina. This self-designated born-again Christian has a history of anti-black, antisemitic, anti-women statements prominently posted on Facebook throughout the years. In fact, most of the public positions he holds are anti-humanitarian. During a June 30 speech at White Lake church in the small town of White Lake North Carolina he said,

"Some folks need killing! It’s time for somebody to say it. It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s not a matter of being mean or spiteful. It’s a matter of necessity! When you have wicked people doing wicked things, torturing and murdering and raping. It’s time to call out, uh, those guys in green and go have them handled. Or those boys in blue and have them go handle it.…"

This is just a small sample of the hateful, vile statements made by this MAGA gubernatorial candidate who runs neck-and-neck with his Democratic opponent, current North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. He and other MAGA acolytes continuously call on the name of God, while spewing ungodly hatred and promoting ungodly violence. It is this kind of religious fervor that gave birth to the murderous Crusades, the Salem Witch Hunts, and many other horrors perpetrated in the name of God. I am sure God himself is horrified.

The King James Version of the Bible, 2 Chronicles 7:14, tells us that God said: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Read full chapter

I have struggled as I watched the broadcast news, which I now tend to turn off after about 15 minutes of dispiriting commentary, bad news, and handwringing. It has become clear to me that there is only one way America will be all right after November 5th. That is if EACH of us turns down the volume on all the noise about age, mental capacity or criminality, gas prices, guns, border wars, women's rights, and equal rights...all important and relevant issues for the upcoming election. But as we turn down the volume on all these weighty issues that none of us can handle on our own, we must TURN UP the volume on our communication with our own personal Higher Power. We must hear that still quiet voice that will give us direction if we only listen.

When you go in the voting booth on November 5th, (and please go, no matter how disheartening the seeming outcome) TURN UP THE VOLUME on your personal guide. Listen to your heart...that is where He speaks. Because religion is not a NATIONAL process. It is a personal one. If we really ARE God's people, he will speak to us...he will guide us, and if we follow his direction, He will heal our land.

Supreme Court Creates Existential Threat to Democracy

 By Mildred Robertson

In a blog published June 22 I opined that: "While the Court labors under a cloud of suspicion regarding its integrity and which cases it took up and why; America’s future hangs in the balance. This nation stands on the precipice of disaster if the Supreme Court does not show the same kind of strength and integrity we have witnessed across this nation, as state courts held rioters, insurrectionists, rebels, and even would-be kings responsible for their actions."

Well, we no longer stand on the precipice of disaster. We are now tossed into the breach!

On Monday, the Supreme Court gave unprecedented power to the United States President...power that in the wrong hands can destroy the democratic foundation upon which our nation has stood since July 4, 1776. The Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump is partially immune from prosecution for efforts to overturn the 2020 election. They found that Trump cannot be prosecuted for "official acts" taken in office but could be liable for illegal private conduct. The ruling ended in a 6-3 ruling on ideological lines with Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissenting. 

An impassioned dissent from Justice Sonia Sotomayor said this ruling left her with "fear for our democracy." I share her fear as we face an upcoming election where polls have the racist, sexist, criminally indicted Donald Trump running neck-and-neck with President Joe Biden. She, Kagan, and Jackson envision a grim outlook for U.S. democracy. Sotomayor wrote, "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law."    

Jackson also paints a grim picture of this nation's future, stating, "If the structural consequences of today's paradigm shift mark a step in the wrong direction, then the practical consequences are a five-alarm fire that threatens to consume democratic self-governance and the normal operations of our government."

The first ember of the coming blaze threatening to burn our country to the ground is the criminal election fraud case against Trump. That case will now be sent back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan who must rule on whether the criminal charges brought against Trump by special counsel Jack Smith pertain to official acts performed as president or were private conduct subject to prosecution.  This will undoubtedly delay the trial until after the Nov. 5 election. The result is a victory for Trump, the presumptive nominee for the Republican presidential candidacy. This decision insulates him during the election, but also literally gives him a "get-out-of-jail-free card.  

So, it behooves all of us who believe in democracy to let our voices be heard during the November 5th election. No one should sit this one out. 

If I were creating the perfect candidate, Joe Biden would not be my creation. But I do believe that I share similar values with him. He will do his best to do what is right for America. He is a decent human being who will choose right over wrong.  I trust him, and I believe that history will look favorably upon his administration.

None of those things can be said for his opponent. 

The democratic party has not always done ALL that it should to make this a more equitable society. Nevertheless, Joe Biden and the Democratic party offer the best hope for America to maintain its freedom. A protest vote will be heard by few, but felt by many. 

No one is coming to save us from the existential threat of a Trump-led Republican majority.  Not the courts. Not the DOJ. Not the Congress. We must save ourselves. 

We must vote like our freedom depends on it...because it does.

So, Joe Biden Had a Bad Day

 By Mildred Robertson

Okay. President Joe Biden looked a little shaky during the June 27 debate. Was it disappointing for those who support a strong, democratic government?  Absolutely!

But does it mean that we must accept the leadership of a convicted rapist and felon who promoted an insurrection against the federal government? Absolutely not!

As we examine the optics of this debate, it is clear that President Biden was not having a good day. It also was clear that the format smoothed Trump's rough edges so we did not see the wild-eyed lunatic that normally shows up at rallies, speeches, and on Trump Social Media. But the lies were still there.

For instance, Trump’s rhetoric on abortion was patently absurd, and filled with lies. Clearly, doctors are not aborting babies at nine months and up to days after birth. That would be called murder. He denied having had relations with Stormy Daniels, which a jury of his peers found to be false.  While his affair is of no one’s concern but his and Melania’s, the FACT that he paid hush money to keep that knowledge away from voters during the 2020 election is everybody’s business.

As voters mull over the pros and cons of each candidate, I hope they bear in mind that Joe Biden has done a lot to bring America out of the ditch into which Trump drove us.

• He took meaningful steps to clean up the COVID mess left by his predecessor.  
• He drove down prescription drug costs.
• He actually PASSED an infrastructure bill.
• He signed an executive order to allow citizenship for spouses of Dreamers.
• He stood up to Putin’s aggression and provided support for Ukraine despite rabid Republican opposition.
• He has attempted to moderate the conflict in the Middle East, though challenges still exist. They would exist for any president. Atrocities on both sides make it difficult to throw one's support totally to one side or the other.
• He proposed meaningful border legislation that was killed by Trump and his sycophants.
• While gas and food prices are high, America still leads the world in terms of financial stability. Economic indicators are moving in a positive direction even as corporate greed pushes prices as high as the market will allow. (That’s known as capitalism.)
• He supports a woman’s right to choose.

While Joe Biden promises to spend the next four years working to continue to improve the plight of Americans, from young people seeking relief from student debt to those seeking to buy new homes, his opposition is still stuck in the past, whining about a win in 2020 that was outside his reach. 

Trump LOST that race, yet he still wants to canonize the rebels who stormed the Capitol, urinated in its hallowed halls, and threatened to hang Mike Pence. He yearns to be a dictator, if only for one day, (wink-wink). He promises tax cuts to the wealthy and continues to denigrate Black Americans by claiming that he will win their votes because of his mugshot. His promise to them…the return of “black” jobs…whatever that means.

So am I somewhat disheartened, yes, but not in despair.  I believe the majority of American voters are astute enough to know that a 2^nd Trump presidency would be catastrophic. It would isolate us from world leadership and launch our democracy on a path to destruction.

We have begun the hard job of recovery from the four years we suffered under Trump’s leadership. I do not believe our democracy could bear the burden of four more years of that corrupt administration. So when you enter the voting booth, think about whether this country’s foundational democracy is important to you. If it is, you must VOTE BLUE.

THE SUPREME COURT PROBABLY WON’T SAVE US

 By Mildred Robertson

The Supreme Court is rushing toward its final days in this term, with much left to be decided.  With little more than a week to go, several high-profile cases remain to be heard, including cases that could reshape our nation’s laws ranging from gun control and abortion rights to social media issues. The Court actually upheld a law that bars domestic abusers from possessing firearms…a rare victory for gun control advocates, but short-lived, as the Court also ruled that a bump stock does not make an AR a machine gun, even though it can discharge as many rounds as one.

A Court that boasts a 6-3 conservative majority has yet to issue rulings on the abortion pill and some gun rights issues. Of course, the most high-profile case coming before them is the Donald Trump immunity case, where Trump argues that former presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts they took in office. They also are considering the indictment he faces on charges of election interference. He argues that the previous rule held that former presidents can’t be sued in civil cases for what they did in office. But the Court has yet to weigh in on criminal immunity. He hopes that the Court will give him a get-out-of-jail-free card. By taking on this case, the Court gave Trump a win by making it next to impossible for the case to be brought against him before the election, even if they ruled that he is not immune from prosecution.  

The Court has yet to decide on whether hundreds of insurrectionists who violently attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, should be prosecuted and jailed for obstruction charges related to their attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden as the duly elected President in the 2020 election. That is a charge also faced by Trump for obstructing an official proceeding. The Court’s decision could invalidate more than 330 January 6 prosecutions…including Trump’s.

An example of the type of accused insurrectionist who might be cleared is Joseph Fischer who texted his boss before the January 6^th insurrection to tell him that he might need to post bail.  He allegedly warned that the protest at the US Capitol “might get violent.” It is also alleged that he said, “they should storm the capital and drag all the democrats [sic] into the street and have a mob trial.”

According to the Justice Department, it was Fischer who allegedly yelled “charge,” on the day of the insurrection before running and crashing into a line of police inside the Capitol. Video footage cited by the Justice Department shows at least one officer on the ground following Fischer’s assault, after which he was forcibly removed. The FBI identified Fischer based on a Facebook post that he posted showing him inside the Capitol on January 6.

Fischer has yet to be tried because the criminal proceeding has been tied up in appeals after a Trump-appointed trial judge ruled that one of the criminal laws with which he is charged must be narrowly interrupted.  The case, Fischer v. United States, is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court. The statute says that anyone who obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding or attempts to do so commits a serious federal crime and can be imprisoned for up to 20 years.  The Justice Department has charged approximately 330 January 6 defendants with violating this statute during the insurrection.  Among the accused…Donald J. Trump.

While the Court considers issues such as abortion rights, guns, homelessness, and environmental issues, scandal looms over two of the Court's conservative majority members. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was caught on tape stating that he questioned whether a compromise between the left and the right is possible. According to audio posted by liberal filmmaker Lauren Windsor, Alito said “One side or the other is going to win…there are differences on fundamental things that really can’t be compromised.” This leads us to wonder whether Justice Alito can make an unbiased decision in any controversial case. This issue is magnified when you see Alito entangled in a community controversy over flying the American flag upside down above at least two of his residences. Flying the flag in that manner is both disrespectful and an indication of allegiance to the insurrectionists.

Then, there’s Clarence Thomas who has received financial perks from billionaire Harlan Crow that he failed to declare publicly. Now, he acknowledges he should have disclosed the free trips. He amended his financial disclosure for 2019 stating that he “inadvertently omitted” the trips on previous reports.

While the Court labors under a cloud of suspicion regarding its integrity and which cases it took up and why; America’s future hangs in the balance. This nation stands on the precipice of disaster if the Supreme Court does not show the same kind of strength and integrity we have witnessed across this nation, as state courts held rioters, insurrectionists, rebels, and even would-be kings responsible for their actions.

It is my prayer that the Court holds the line and protects democracy. If it does not…YOU are the last line of defense.

You must vote for this country’s future. You must support the candidates who put country before party, who put citizens above businesses, and who put freedom and justice above anarchy.

It is up to you…because NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US.

Men of Southeast Raleigh Fight for Community's Legacy

 By Mildred Robertson

It was a simple event held at the John Chavis Memorial Park Community Center in Southeast Raleigh. Chavis, which has a rich legacy of service to African Americans in Southeast Raleigh, was a fitting location as brothers of "The Men of Southeast Raleigh" escorted senior mothers being honored by the Chavis Seniors in a Mother’s Day Tribute organized by Joani Craven and Sarah McNeil. The group of active seniors meets every Thursday for crafts, games, and fellowship. The men served as escorts for the three seniors recognized at the event.

Anthony Pope, coordinator of "The Men of Southeast Raleigh" says the group was pleased to be invited to participate in the event by long-time friend Joani Craven. He even recognizes Craven as the one who inspired him to organize the group. “Joani and I grew up together and have lived in the same community all our lives,” he says. It was when he retired in 2021 that she pressed him to start the organization, which began with just 3 men. By the time they held their first meeting, the enrollment had expanded to 20 men. Their current membership includes about 70 individuals most of whom are highly engaged in projects supporting Southeast Raleigh.

Members were primarily born and raised in Southeast Raleigh. “We practically grew up together, lived in the same communities, and went to the same schools,” says Anthony. So, the members are invested in the vitality of this community. His fond memories of growing up in Southeast Raleigh were the catalyst for taking on the task of maintaining his beloved community’s legacy. “As I think back to when we grew up, the community embraced us.  Everybody's parents were our parents,” says Pope.

The goal of the organization is to gather men from the community who exude courage, confidence, and class and who are committed to preserving the legacy and history of Southeast Raleigh. The group is involved in activities both social and political that affect the Southeast Raleigh community.

One of the main issues that trouble Pope is the gentrification that is swallowing up property in the area. He tells his own story of how gentrification impacted his ancestral home. His mother owned a home in Southeast Raleigh since the late 80s. When he took over the property in 2011, he gutted and refitted it, doing most of the work himself, with help from friends. Property taxes on that home at that time were approximately $450-$500 per year.   But with all the new construction in his neighborhood, even without any further renovations or improvements his home property taxes skyrocketed to $4,092.  From the time his mother purchased the home in 1986 to the present, the value of the home had soared to $538,000. That jump in valuation is based on the new construction of townhomes that have sprung up in his neighborhood priced at $1.4 million, none of which have been sold. The homes are priced outside the reach of the moderate-income homebuyers who historically populated the area. They also over-inflate the land value of long-time homeowners in the area, resulting in exorbitant property taxes.

That is the plight of Southeast Raleigh. “Our community is disappearing because people can't pay their taxes, particularly the elderly. They don’t know you can ask for a waiver,” says Pope. 

To support homeowners in the areas, the Men of Southeast Raleigh have begun to hold sessions to teach people how to appeal their property valuations. The first session, which attracted about 30 people was held on April 15 at historic Martin Street Baptist Church which sits in the heart of Southeast Raleigh. A second meeting held on April 29 attracted approximately 100 people interested in lowering their property taxes.

The group is trying to inform as many people as possible about ways to get tax relief. “These properties have land that is more valuable than the houses that sit on them. I plan to plead my case on my property taxes and want to help other people do the same,” says Pope. He says that families who have lived in Southeast Raleigh for years are being priced out of the market by exploding property taxes that put their homeownership in jeopardy. That’s why his group’s efforts aim to help save families' homes by showing them how to reduce the property tax burden.  Pope says that the more people raise the issue, the more the city will be forced to examine it.

If you want to learn more about “The Men of Southeast Raleigh,” or wish to join the group visit the website at https://www.menofsoutheastraleigh.com/ or contact Pope at popea19783@gmail.com.