Black History Month is a moment for celebration, and Google’s impressive campaign should spur national discussion and global admiration. But it should also stir personal reflection.
Opinion
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes thoughtful commentary and feedback from the community. All articles in this section are edited for clarity and space; the views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the MSR. MSR does not provide payment for commentary. To submit an opinion piece, please send inquiries and submissions to submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.
Posted inOpinion
This year Black History Month celebrates the right to vote
The Freedom Movement, as it was called, placed a lot of emphasis on the right to vote, which had been denied to Blacks living in the South since the end of Reconstruction.
Posted inBlack History Month, Opinion
Mammy and how racist stereotypes impact Black women
Niceness can be a form of manipulation, creating a racial dynamic where people of color are required to maintain White comfort to survive.
Posted inOpinion
Commercials be damned: The NFL does not care about Black people
The NFL’s latest move is designed to ensure that the movement does not come back by trying to make it appear that it and the people concerned about ending police violence, share the same vision. They/we absolutely do not!
Posted inOpinion
Hostility against the homeless is on the rise
Homelessness is a tragedy in and of itself. Locally, the issue has been covered in the news a lot as of late.
Posted inOpinion
Fruit on the vine
In this article, I highlighted the impacts that long-term incarceration has on individuals and community.
Posted inOpinion
A view from the behind the walls
Why does it seem like everyone is okay with those same people being preyed on by the institutions that are holding them?
Posted inOpinion
Impeachment proceedings are just entertainment
Yes, the impeachment of a U.S. president is newsworthy, but is it the most important thing happening in the world today? This writer thinks not.
Posted inOpinion
A loophole for the lawless: ‘qualified immunity’ must go
Qualified immunity protects government employees from liability for things they willfully decide to do while on duty.
Posted inOpinion
MLK day celebrations highlight hypocrisy of Black (mis)leadership
MLK’s political philosophy is totally absent from the agenda of today’s Black Misleadership Class.
Posted inFeatured, MLK Legacy Section, Opinion, Special Editions
Dr. King’s legacy requires us to continue the fight for justice
Honoring Dr. King’s legacy in the 21st Century means rigorously interrogating the U.S. criminal justice system and refusing to accept the high rate of incarceration among African Americans.
Posted inMLK Legacy Section, Opinion
Not as much as we would like has changed since the murder of MLK
The U.S. is a very different place than it was in 1968. Or is it?
Posted inOpinion
24 states are giving their workers a raise. Why not Congress?
Though many states have raised the minimum wage, it’s important to note that the federal minimum wage still remains $7.25 an hour.
Posted inOpinion
Renters should not be discriminated against based on income
Landlords using income requirements is obviously discriminatory toward low-income people.
Posted inOpinion
Crime, race and opportunity in the first week of 2020
The very first week of the year in the Twin Cities brought much to talk about and reflect on.
Posted inOpinion
Assassination of Iranian general provokes fake Democratic outrage
The imperial assassination of Soleimani is a criminal act of war guaranteed to provoke a reaction that could produce a regional war involving U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Posted inOpinion
Formerly homeless young people make good advocates for the homeless
Formerly homeless teens offer suggestions for a ‘broken’ system.
Posted inOpinion
Black voters are not beholden to the Democratic Party
The 2020 election cycle is an anti-Black political affair. Wall Street’s new favorite candidate Pete Buttigieg is polling at 0% approval with Black voters and for good reason.
Posted inOpinion
400 years later race still marks the spot
The year 2019 was like most years for those who are considered Black living in the United States; life was a series of avoiding pitfalls, while watching one’s budget, being cautious around cops and being careful not to say the wrong thing while at work.
Posted inOpinion
Recapping a year in the Minnesota DOC
As the year comes to a close, I’m sure many are wondering just what type of impact those changes have had on prisoners. Besides the women inmates in Shakopee? None. It may sound harsh, but the truth often is.