Outgoing
Senator Bob Corker has opened wide the
obvious question of Donald Trump’s fitness to continue in the presidency. Despite
his “babysitters,” Trump is on such a rampage of wanton destruction—including the
Iran deal, NATO, NAFTA, DACA, North Korea, Obamacare, and Puerto Rico hurricane
aid (what about the Virgin Islands?)---that maybe even Republican lawmakers are
starting to have second thoughts, since the good of the country, their own political
survival, and that of their party in 2018 is at stake. Never mind details,
because they are covered amply in the news, but it seems high time to get rid
of President Trump as the nation and the world cannot allow him to continue in
office. It may be messy to get him out and his base may become outraged, though
even they may also be losing patience, since none of his promises have been
fulfilled. We feared the worse for his presidency, but hoped he would learn on
the job and that his advisers and daughter Ivanka and her husband might be mitigating
forces, but it’s not getting any better, just gets worse and worse.
Last year, Amnesty
International released a report, Waiting in Vain: Unlawful Police
Killings and Relatives’ Long Struggle for Justice. The report details the
catalogue of illegal tactics used by police across Jamaica to ensure that relatives of victims of unlawful killings by
the police do not pursue justice, truth, and reparation for their loved ones. According
to the report, law enforcement officials in Jamaica have allegedly killed more
than 3,000 people since 2000; mostly young men living in marginalized
communities. Despite overwhelming evidence of police involvement in the cases,
to Amnesty International’s knowledge, only a handful of officers have been
convicted of murder since then.
In Washington, DC, in a Congressional meeting room, we in the volunteer
Caribbean coordinating group of Amnesty
International USA recently held an information session with members of two
families directly impacted by this violence in Jamaica, Simone Grant and Shackelia Jackson
who were making a speaking tour to raise awareness in the US. Both lost their
brothers at the hands of the Jamaican police. My volunteer Jamaica assistant, Sarah Hamilton, accompanied them on
their tour.
Dr. Darsi Ferret, last name sometimes spelled Ferrer, an Afro-Cuban dissident doctor in his 40’s, once imprisoned for
ostensibly possessing two bags of unauthorized cement, was found dead in south
Florida, cause of death unknown. His photo appears on p. 344 of my Confessions book.
Dr. Darsi Ferret (L) with another former Cuban prisoner
Turning
to more personal matters, my great-grandson De’Andre was here from Clearwater,
FL, in early Oct. with his mother for a few days to celebrate his 10th
birthday among us.
Then
my son Jon came east unexpectedly from
Hawaii for R&R after a violent robbery and hospitalization in normally
peaceful Honolulu (case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time) whereby
he suffered numerous injuries, particularly to his right eye, where full restoration
of vision will take time and is uncertain. Meanwhile, he wears either an eye
patch or sunglasses to spare onlookers the sight of his eye. His return to
Hawaii is unlikely in the near term.
Above, Jon in the hospital with sister Stephanie
Jon in DC area with sister Melanie
Jon on the phone at our house
Correction to my last post
from a reader:
u referenced "Christine Jorgensen" as transgendered (medical doctor) tennis player. i believe u meant Renee Richards. Jorgensen was well known in 1950's tabloids. RR played tennis.
u referenced "Christine Jorgensen" as transgendered (medical doctor) tennis player. i believe u meant Renee Richards. Jorgensen was well known in 1950's tabloids. RR played tennis.
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