Raisin in the Pun

     By Heru Ammen     We are again dealing with the aftermath of what appears to be another unjust shooting of an Afrikan American by a white police officer. As of 10 am eastern time today the shooting victim, Jacob Blake is currently recovering from surgery and is in serious condition paralyzed from the waist down. There is the distinct possibility that he will have to live the rest of his life unable to walk; having been shot by a police officer for opening his car door. Let that sink in for a minute…shot for opening his car door. It is evident to this writer that the modus operandi of the white police culture in America when faced with an entanglement (if you will) with an Afrikan American is to shoot first and asked questions to determine what the threat “may have been” after shots have been fired and the victim has been incapacitated. Whether the white police officer is racist or just lacked the proper training to properly handle a confrontation precipi...

By Robyn Anuakan, Ph.D.  A San Diego Sunday is best enjoyed in historic Balboa Park.    There’s a dog run on the West side, long rolling sidewalks up and down the hills adjacent to Sixth Avenue.    Drummers form a circle in a pine grove and meditate for hours on rhythms that only the sky seems familiar with, contesting for an audience with those on their way to museums.    Lovers hover around the base of grand Eucalyptus as the scent of spring oozes forth in March.  We were all taking a day away from politics. And then a tree falls; not the whole thing, but enough limbs collide to strip it of branches larger than a pick up truck.    We saw it descend on top of the couple sitting quietly, enjoying the calmest of days, where no rain and little wind caused any ruckus to warn the park.  There was no reason as far as we could tell.     Just a hill with arbors laboring to give us all shade in late afternoon.    And it told us we need to hurry up, to support the President’s plan of getting ev...