March 3, 2019

The Smoking Guns
By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. 

(TriceEdneyWire.com) -- Michael Cohen gave us the several smoking guns in his testimony this past week before Congress. He came to the hearing confessing his sins, asking for forgiveness and armed with provable facts. Showed a copy of the check that Trump reimbursed him for paying women to keep quiet about #45’s lies about sleeping with women other than his wife and lying about it. Looks like #45’s hush-money didn’t hush a lot.

Many of us were glued to our televisions as Michael came before the House Oversight Committee of the U. S. Congress. He was remorseful and admitted his own faults before telling the Committee that #45 engaged in multiple criminal acts. He told us about the bank fraud, insurance fraud, tax evasion and suborning perjury.

He laid out evidence of a cheat, a racist, a con-man. Nobody I know was surprised. In 2016 Dick Gregory told us how the election was going to come out. He said we were going to experience chaos—and we all know that prediction came true.

No matter what you’ve thought of Michael in the past, at the hearing he was on it, and I believed him. After he sat before that Committee for several hours with Republicans hurling every insult possible at him and never mentioning the real culprit, #45, Michael just kept on giving up information the public needed to hear. The Republicans just kept on trying to pretend the President wasn’t the lead bad guy.

Democrats who were doing the questioning, were well prepared. They brought out the facts and left no doubt that #45 committed criminal acts.

#45 thought the campaign was a great marketing opportunity, and never believed he was going to win. At the end of Michael’s testimony, I think #45 is wishing he had not won, and I say won cautiously because it’s obvious somebody messed with the votes.

We heard that executives at the Trump organization knew #45 inflated assets when he wanted to look important. On the other hand, he pretended he had fewer assets to avoid higher taxes.

That hearing must have been the worst day of #45’s days living in public housing! This was pretty clear as he strutted around in Hanoi with his new friend. In fact, he said he’d fallen in love with the North Korean leader.

Michael was in a room with #45 when Don, Jr. came into the room, walked behind #45’s desk and said, “The meeting has been set.” He testified that it is most likely they were talking about the infamous Trump Tower meeting. We heard strong evidence that #45 committed crimes.

While the Republicans behaved badly with no intention of seeking the truth from Michael, it was painful to watch the show intended to suppress the truth. The show reached the pit several times, but one of the most insulting acts was Rep. Mark Meadows bringing in a Black woman prop and told her to stand up so we could inspect her as though she was a slave on the block to prove #45 was not racist because he’d hired her.

Rep. Elijah Cummings made us proud in running that hearing. He directed his closing remarks to Michael when he thanked him for his testimony and reviewed the scenario of Michael leaving the courthouse with his daughter. Mr. Cummings told us it hurt him as he thought about his own daughters. He concluded by hoping this part of Michael’s destiny will lead to a better Cohen, a better Trump, a better country, a better world. He said “When we’re dancing with the angels the question will be asked, ‘What did we do to keep our democracy intact?”

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women. www.nationalcongressbw.org. She’s also host of Wake Up and Stay Woke on WPFW 89.3 FM.)

Feb. 26, 2019

My Trip to Ghana: a Valuable Learning and Spiritual Experience
By A. Peter Bailey

A. Peter Bailey stands in front of conference sign in front of the University of Ghana. 

Here, I am with Malaak Shabazz, daughter of Brother Malcolm X, who is standing with Michael Flores, a delegate from Belize. Brother Malcolm here, is included in what is called, "The Wall of Ancestors", created by Jerry Johnson, an African-American who lives in Ghana.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - About three years ago when Joomay Odongo Faye first introduced me to a new Pan African organization of which he was a co-founder, I had no idea that the introduction would lead to my going on an airplane for the first time in 33 years.

I was already a Pan Africanist, having been guided into being one by Brother Malcolm X, the master teacher. Joomay told me that the Pan African Federalist Movement’s members from twelve regions throughout the world were talented, resourceful, committed people of African descent who are totally committed to the concept that Africa must unite. The twelve regions are West Africa, East Africa, South Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, North America, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, Near East, Middle East and Far East. The five official languages to be used on PAFM’s international documents are English, French, Ki-Swahili, Arabic and Portuguese.

At a North American Region Conference in Washington, DC in May 2018, we were told to prepare to attend a PAFM Pre-Congress in Accra, Ghana in December 2018. That left me feeling anxious since I hadn’t been on an airplane since 1985 and was very hesitant about flying anywhere. But the chance to meet Pan Africans from throughout the world and to visit the Door of No Return eventually overcame my fears.

When we landed in Accra on the morning of December 7, 2018, after a direct flight on South Africa Airways, it was a deeply emotional experience for me. Though I had visited East Africa—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—and Cairo in the 1970s, it was from West Africa that my ancestors had been captured and taken to enslavement in North America.

The Pre-Congress officially opened on Saturday, December 8, 2018 in the Bank of Ghana Auditorium at the University of Ghana. In attendance were over 100 Pan African delegates from throughout the world and nearly 200 students from West Africa. The program consisted of cultural performances in dance, music and poetry, the showing of several short documentaries promoting the Africa Must Unite theme, panel discussions focusing on the same theme and a speech by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo’s remarks noted Africa’s enormous wealth must be explained for the benefit of African people “and not, as has been the norm in our history, for the benefit of people outside our continent.”

The opening day’s program included the complete speech made by President Kwame Nkrumah at the first Organization of African Unity (OAU) Conference held in Addis Abbas, Ethiopia in June 1963. Among other things, he insisted “No independent African State today has a chance to follow and independent course of economic development and many of us who have tried to do so have been almost ruined or have had to return to the fold of former colonial rulers. This position will not change unless we have unified policy working at the continental level. The first step toward our cohesive economy would be a unified monetary zone with, initially, an agreed common parity for our currencies. To facilitate this arrangement, Ghana would change to a decimal system.”

President Nkrumah also said Africa must “forge a political union based on defense, foreign affairs, diplomacy, a citizenship, an African currency, an African monetary zone and an African central bank.” Unfortunately, Africa, as of today, did not heed his warnings.

When it was my turn to speak as a panelist on Brother Malcolm’s Pan Africanism, I read a September 1, 1964 press release he wrote and distributed at the 2^nd African Summit Conference. “Why does the press of the western world constantly ridicule and play down the idea of a United States of Africa? They know that a divided Africa is a weak Africa. And they want to keep a dependent target of western ‘philanthropy’ or what is being increasingly described here as ‘benevolent colonialism.’ The neo-colonialists who would ‘woo and rule’ Africa today must skillfully disguise their selfish aims within their generous offers of unlimited ‘economic aid,’ ‘Peace corpism’ or ‘cross roadism,’ all ow which is nothing but the modern counterpart of 19^th century ‘missionaryism.’ A United States of Africa is a strong and independent Africa. An Africa that can stand on its own feet, walk for itself and avoid the snares and pitfalls divided by benevolent imperialists to keep the whole continent divided, weak and dependent upon a philanthropic west for ‘economic aid,’ ‘political guidance,’ and ‘military protection.’”

I also read a portion of a September 9, 2009 advertising supplement in the Washington Post paid for by an outfit called Pan African Capital Group based in Washington, DC. It’s headline “Africa on the Agenda” says it all. It’s not Africa’s Agenda but Africa on the agenda to be ripped off by the continents of North American (aka USA), Europe and Asia. Though they have all kinds of conflicts among themselves, when it comes to Africa they are of one mind.

The subtitle of the supplement, “Africa-The Key to Global Economic Growth” blatantly reveals why this is so. According to Steve Cashen, founder and CEO of the group that paid for the supplement, “The continent (Africa) has approximately 60 percent of the world’s diamonds, 40 percent of its phosphate, 30 percent of it cobalt and 10-15 percent of the world’s proven oil and gas reserves.”

If that isn’t enough reason for Africa to unite, consider the following excerpt from the 1986 book, “South Africa Inc the Oppenheimer Empire.” “South Africa…is the western world’s biggest provider of gold, platinum, gems, diamonds, chrome, manganese ore, and vanadium (which is used to make high grade steel for oil pipelines). The value of its minerals is exceeded only by the U.S.”

It was knowledge about this kind of exploitation that brought Pan Africans from all over the world to Accra. I personally had the valuable learning experience of conversing and sharing ideas and concepts with delegations from 25 countries. They included Michael Flores, who has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Ameth Lo of Canada, who did much of the English to French and French to English translating during the Pre-Congress, Samia Yaba Nkrumah of Ghana, the daughter of its first president, Kwame Nkrumah, Alessandro Robaldo and Paulus Uremu of Cape Verde, who told me that it is illegal in their country to change one’s name to an African name. Prof. Miriam Victoria Gomes of Argentina, who noted that the government in that country often acts as though people of African descent in Argentina don’t exist. Hardi Takubu of Kumasi, Ghana, from whom I purchased a colorful, mind-blowing covering that can be hung on the wall if one has a huge living room or used as a spread for a larger than king-sized bed,

I also had knowledge expanding conversations with Pan Africanist from Senegal, Mali, Germany, Burkina Faso, Jamaica, South Africa, Guinea, England, Liberia and the Virgin Islands.

Other than North American delegates included Malaak Shabazz, one of the daughters of Brother Malcolm and Sister Betty, Mwalimuk-Q Amsata, coordinator of the North American Region, Jacquiline Johnson-Dickson, who is another frequent traveler and Mobantu Ankoanda, who last fall celebrated the 20^th anniversary of her Collard Greens Cultural Festival in Lithonia, Georgia. She told us about her collard greens ice cream.

Also memorable was conversing with several former residents of North America who now live in Ghana. They included Jerry Johnson, founder of the knowledge expanding Global African Ancestral Wall, an over block-long wall featuring 88 large painted portraits of people of historical significance who are of African descent, Kwame A. Mitoto Sr., who took Malaak, Jackie, Mobantu and myself to breakfast at one African restaurant where we were served delicious yellow grits that were made in house.

For me, the most deeply emotional experience of the trip was going to the fortners El Mina were thousands of our African ancestors were held in captivity until being forced to go through the Door of No Return to be put on ships that would take them to enslavement in North and South America and the Caribbean. When hearing about the major role played by the Catholic Church at El Mina, I thought that, to some degree, it’s retribution for the despicable, horrific contribution Catholicism and Christianity made to the enslavement of millions of African people.

The Final Declaration of the event issued by All African People’s Conference WLO and PAFM included the following: “The new organizational charter of the movement decided on the official proclamation of its existence three years after the call of the Provisional International Initiative Committee launched in Dakar, Senegal in 2015…Key members of the International Preparatory Committee of the First Pan African Federalist Congress were elected and the decision to hold the Congress in two to three years were made. Mali was chosen to host the headquarters of PAFM. PAFM and the Nkrumah Pan African Centre jointly launched a solemn call to all people of African descent, wherever they may be in the world to join them in the active preparation of the Congress for the Political Unity of Africa in less than one generation.”

That’s a huge challenge. The greed-driven exploiters of Africa’s wealth from the continents of Asia, Europe and North America are not going to graciously fade away. However, after interacting with and conversing with the significant number of 40 and under delegates at the Congress, as well as with numerous serious, talented, resourceful and committed young people I know we have in North America, I am more optimistic about the future. I agree with the great Pan African, Chiekh Anta Diop, who after criticizing the shortcomings of many of Africa’s leaders of his time, said “As generalized in security spreads, no African regime will be able to prevent the masses from seeing that the ineptitude of their own governments is linked to the general insecurity. At that point, I feel the masses will find within their own ranks the type of political vanguard, made up of young altruistic and politically motivated Africans to unleash a powerful, continent-wide movement. This political undercurrent would eventually be forced to sweep away the objective obstacles standing in the way of a continental African Federation.”

March 3, 2019

The Congressional Black Caucus: Not Always in Headlines, But Never on the Sidelines
By Julianne Malveaux

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - What does the Congressional Black Caucus do? It takes Majority Whip James Clyburn to make it understandable. "It's not only what we make happen, but what we stop from happening," Clyburn told a standing room only crowd at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Black History Month Celebration on February 26. His words are instructive for folks who get their news from sound bites and tweets. The legislative process is rarely fully televised, and those who put brakes on nonsense proposals never make the headlines. The February 26 event made it clear, in celebration, that the Congressional Black Caucus is often effective on the front lines and the sidelines.

The 116th Congress includes fifty-five members of the Congressional Black Caucus, an incredibly diverse group of African Americans who approach Black liberation (although some might not use the term) differently. Among the fifty-five, there are five who now chair House committees, including Congressional representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA), who chairs the Financial Services Committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) who chairs the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) who chairs the Education and Labor Committee, Bennie Thompson (D-MS) who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, and Elijah Cummings (D-MD) who chairs the Government Oversight Committee. Cummings was the only one of the five who was not present, understandably so when one reflected on his leadership in the hearing that examined Michael Cohen, the jail-bound attorney who formerly represented the Nation's Prevaricator-in-Chief.

Each of them talked about the challenges they face in their roles, especially the fact that progressive legislation that leaves the House of Representatives is often unlikely to pass the Republican-dominated United States Senate and the obstreperous Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (my words, not theirs). But each also talked about issues they will address in their leadership. Congresswoman Waters can subpoena tax returns and bank records. She spoke of the many ways banking boards lack diversity and plans to establish a diversity and inclusion subcommittee as part of the Financial Services Committee. Bennie Thompson and Eddie Bernice Johnson talked about directing money to HBCUs and about the ways that some universities are able to get the majority of federal dollars. Congressman Bobby Scott intrigued me when he talked about the way the media is interested in drama, not substance. On a day when he dealt with both the minimum wage and higher education legislation, most of the questions he got from the media were about Blackface and other scandals in Virginia.

The search for the salacious has been the theme of the 45 administration. One does not have to search far to find payments to prostitutes, pandering to potentates, and other chicanery. The real trickery, however, is happening when our regulatory structure is being decimated, when payday lending rules are hanged by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to make predatory lending easier and more exploitative; when education regulations are being changed to make access for Black and other students of color even harder than it is now; when labor regulations are being changed to exploit unions. The federal minimum wage, at $7.25, has not increased in a decade.   As such, the Raise The Wage Act should be making headlines. Instead, all cameras, all eyes are on the scandals that dominate this administration.

In celebrating the Congressional Black Caucus, I'm not touting their perfection, because the collective caucus is flawed as any other organization. My biggest bone to pick with Caucus members is all of them won't sign or align themselves with HR 40, the reparations legislation that Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) introduced thirty years ago. Many say the reparations conversation is impractical. From my perspective, if you are interested in economic justice, you must be interested in restorative and reparatory justice for the descendants of the enslaved people who built this country. That means developing public policy to close the wealth gap. That means developing public policy to increase access to education. That means educating a nation with leaders and teachers who seem to think it is okay to run around in Blackface, hand children cotton bolls or more alarmingly, have children (in South Carolina) actually pick cotton and sing slave songs. That means examining the ways that racist (yes, racist) legislation has exacerbated, not closed the wealth gap.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available via www.amazon.com for booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visitwww.juliannemalveaux.com

 

 

Feb. 26, 2019

 

Nigerian Nun Shames Catholic Church for Silence on Sex Abuse

 

Sister Openibo

 

(TriceEdneyWire.com/GIN) – A Nigerian nun faced a Vatican summit on sexual abuse in the Church and delivered a stinging indictment to stone-faced church leaders who failed to take action against abusers.

 

It was the third day of the Vatican summit. Sister Veronica Openibo did not mince words.

 

A member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Sister Openibo said she had watched the American-made movie “Spotlight” about a U.S. newspaper, the Boston Globe, whose reporters discovered a decades-long cover-up of child abuse within the local Catholic Archdiocese.

 

At the end of the film was a long list of cases and dioceses where the abuses had occurred, and reading about the number of children affected and seeing the vast amount of money spent on settlements, she said that tears of sorrow flowed.

 

“How could the clerical Church have kept silent, covering these atrocities?” she asked.

 

Sister Openibo, who serves on the executive board of the International Union of Superiors General, acknowledged that the church has at times failed to live up to its own moral code.

 

“Yes, we proclaim the Ten Commandments and parade ourselves as being the custodians of moral standards and values and good behavior into society. But why did we keep silent for so long?”

 

Openibo, one of only three women to address the event and the only speaker from Africa, went on to say the scandal had “seriously clouded the grace of the Christ mission”.

 

“Is it possible for us to move from fear of scandal to truth? How do we remove the masks that hide our sinful neglect?” she asked.

 

Openibo, who has worked in Africa, Europe and the US, said: “Too often we want to keep silent until the storm has passed. This storm will not pass by. Our credibility is at stake.”

 

During the summit, bishops from the United States, Europe and Australia have urged caution when it comes to universal changes in church rules, saying that local cultures could require nuanced policies. But Sister Openibo said that church leaders should not make excuses when it comes to confronting abuse.

 

“The fact that there are huge issues of poverty, illness, war and violence in some countries in the Global South does not mean that the area of sexual abuse should be downplayed or ignored,” she said. “The church has to be proactive in facing it.”

 

The pontiff and the 190 bishops and cardinals in attendance watched videotaped testimony from survivors of abuse telling of their trauma and the cruel indifference shown by church leaders.

 

One woman from Africa told the summit that a priest who had begun raping her at age 15 forced her to have three abortions, and beat her when she refused him sex. A survivor from Chile told the bishops and religious superiors they had inflicted even more pain on survivors by discrediting them and protecting priests who abused.

 

A list of 21 “reflection points” written by the pope is expected to provide the basis for the development of new anti-abuse procedures for bishops. 

 

Global Information Network creates and distributes news and feature articles on current affairs in Africa to media outlets, scholars, students and activists in the U.S. and Canada. Our goal is to introduce important new voices on topics relevant to Americans, to increase the perspectives available to readers in North America and to bring into their view information about global issues that are overlooked or under-reported by mainstream media.