Category Archives: Culture

books, Culture, Education, human rights, Politics, Social Justice

Why did the Illinois State House pass a bill prohibiting book bans in libraries, and what are the potential implications of this legislation for libraries and their patrons?

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The Illinois State House has approved a bill to prevent public and school libraries from restricting access to books and other materials. However, the bill also grants the Illinois secretary of state the power to withhold grant funding from violators. Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic Secretary of State, started House Bill 2789. It says that libraries that want to get state grants must have a policy against book bans or follow the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. The bill gives public libraries more freedom to buy books and protects them from attempts to censor them. Republican Rep. Martin McLaughlin expressed concern about the state dictating to local library boards. Giannoulias praised the legislation as groundbreaking and vital for defending the freedom of expression against censorship. The Illinois State Senate must now approve the bill.

What would the implication of this pass do to the educational system? The Illinois State House passed a bill prohibiting book bans in libraries to combat the practice of book censorship and support the principles of freedom of expression. The bill also aims to encourage the improvement of free public libraries and promote sharing of library resources, including digital resources. The potential implications of this legislation for libraries and their patrons are significant. Libraries must adopt a policy against book bans or adhere to the Library Bill of Rights established by the American Library Association to qualify for state grants. This may lead to increased transparency and accountability for libraries but also create tension between local library boards and the state. Additionally, the legislation may help protect patrons’ right to access information and expand their reading choices while ensuring that libraries are not subject to external limitations or censorship attempts. However, the bill’s potential impact on the availability of controversial library materials and the balance between freedom of expression and public decency may be debated.

Source

Nur Ibrahim. Did Illinois State House pass a Bill Prohibiting Book Bans in Libraries?https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/illinois-house-bill-prohibiting-book-bans-libraries/.

Ancestry, Culture, genealogy, History

Who is Francisco Pizarro Gonzalez?

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Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess of the Atabillos, was a Spanish conqueror who lived from March 16, 1478, to June 26, 1541. He is best known for taking over Peru.

Pizarro, a poor Spaniard from Trujillo, sought wealth and adventure in the New World. He visited the Gulf of Urabá and crossed the Isthmus of Panama with Vasco Nez de Balboa, becoming the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. He was mayor of Panama City and led two failed Peruvian missions. Then, after getting permission from the king, Pizarro traveled on his third and most successful trip to Peru in 1529.

Pizarro created Peru’s first Spanish town, San Miguel de Piura after coastal residents fought his assault. In November 1532, Pizarro defeated Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca. In July 1533, Pizarro killed Atahualpa after demanding a fee for the emperor’s freedom. Pizarro reached Cuzco and conquered Peru the same year. He created Lima in January 1535. Pizarro died in 1541.

Pizarro appears in my genealogical chart as a 14th cousin 9x removed.

Cite Resource

Francisco Pizarro – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro

Culture, government, Politics, White House

Are Supporters worried that Trump’s call for protest is a trap?

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Even though former President Donald Trump told his followers to gather to protest his prosecution, online support for public protests is still scattered, unorganized, and quiet. Instead, notable Trump backers are pushing the story that any public event is a “trap” set by law enforcement and that attending will be unproductive and likely to result in charges. This is a typical response to radical movements: violence, a backlash from the police, and a retreat as the remaining followers get scared. The Capitol disruption on January 6, 2021, prompted by a call to action at a Trump event, led to nearly a thousand charges, showing even the most ardent fan that pro-Trump zeal can lead to jail time. Telegram, a pro-Trump channel, asked its members if they would resist if Trump were arrested on Tuesday. Most said no.
“Is the potential protest against Trump’s arrest a J6-style trap?” asked British far-right agitator Paul Joseph Watson’s 218,000 fans on Trump’s social media site, Truth Social. 95% of 1,580 respondents agreed. Ali Alexander, a famous “Stop The Steal” proponent, told his more than 1755,000 Twitter followers that rallying in New York City would put them in the most hostile territory in the US. Megan Squire, Southern Poverty Law Center deputy head of data analytics, has a study folder called “It is a trap” with screen-shots of this online messaging. Trump backers who want to resist face challenges without a primary goal. The most important facts are that tiny groups or domestic militants moved by Trump’s call for rallies are the most significant danger to public safety.
After the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and Trump attacked

Cited Resource:

Trump warns of arrest, calls for protest, but online support is muted. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/21/trump-warns-arrest-calls-protest-but-online-support-muted/11511264002/

Behavioral Science, Culture, Social Justice

Hate Speech is Unacceptable

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Adidas is immediately severing relations with Ye, previously known as Kanye West.

In the current fiscal year, the company’s net income might be reduced by up to $246,5 million. The rapper has made controversial remarks, including social media postings that are antisemitic. Adidas is reconsidering its relationship with Kanye West’s Yeezy brand, which it deems “one of the most successful partnerships in the history of our business.” It hopes to provide further information on the review later this month. Ye has accused Adidas of stealing his ideas and mismanaging the brand, and ridiculed the company’s departing CEO. Making racist comments does not fix a situation. At any moment, hate speech is inappropriate from anybody.

Culture, Ethics, government, human rights, Politics, Social Justice, White House

What do you think of Alabama Senator Tuberville’s comparison of descendants of slaves to criminals?

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Saturday, during a rally for former President Donald Trump, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, equated descendants of enslaved people to criminals, generating severe outrage for pushing a racist narrative. Before a predominantly white audience in Minden, Nevada, Tuberville denounced Democrats as “pro-crime.” “They desire crime because they wish to seize what you have.” They seek to control your possessions. “They seek compensation because they believe the perpetrators are entitled to it,” Tuberville added. “Bull****! That is not obliged to them.” In a press release, NAACP President Derrick Johnson described Tuberville’s remarks as “flat out racist, ignorant, and utterly sickening.”

A Call For Reparations: How America Might Narrow The Racial Wealth Gap

America is notorious for racial inequality. A Call for Reparations: How the United States Could Reduce the Racial Wealth Gap
Johnson continued, “His words promote a centuries-old lie about Black people that throughout history has resulted in the most dangerous policies and violent attacks on our community.” The office of Tuberville did not reply promptly to NPR’s request for comment. As a means of addressing the enduring impacts of slavery, support for reparations for black Americans whose ancestors were slaves has increased throughout time. More than 170 Democratic co-sponsors backed a measure to examine reparations for slavery last spring. A House committee voted to advance the proposal, but the entire House of Representatives has not yet examined it. As a means of addressing the enduring impacts of slavery, support for reparations for black Americans whose ancestors were slaves has increased throughout time.

Bibliography

Kim, Juliana. “Alabama Sen. Tuberville Equates Descendants of Enslaved People to Criminals : NPR.” NPR.org, October 10, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2022/10/10/1127872936/senator-tuberville-racist-reparations-stereotype?fbclid=IwAR3H5GpsKM5XxUnWyy1jHr7hJk5xF7vs7YRvdYYE5wHIJyCiDv9QbC2bPTg.

Behavioral Science, books, Culture, Education, education, equal rights, Ethics, government, Politics, Social Justice

Would you like to know more about Critical Race Theory?

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The term “critical race theory” refers to an interdisciplinary intellectual and social movement that originated with civil-rights activists and academics.

Illustration by Marcus Torres

Illustration by Marcus Torres

The mission of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) is to investigate the ways in which race, society, and the law interact in the United States and to contest the liberal mainstream American approach to racial justice. Along with other critical schools of thought, such as critical legal studies, which investigates the ways in which legal procedures maintain the status quo, it emerged for the first time in the 1970s. Theorists affiliated with the Critical Race Theory (CRT) contend that the social and legal construction of race serves to further the interests of white people at the detriment of people of color. Since the year 2020, conservative legislators in the United States have been attempting to outlaw or place restrictions on the teaching of CRT and other forms of anti-racism education in elementary and secondary schools. Those who support the imposition of such prohibitions believe that CRT is not only untrue but also anti-American, promotes extreme leftism, demonizes White people, and indoctrinates youngsters. However, this is a section of my dissertation study that I have completed on this subject. It is written in a way that is easy to comprehend for the lay reader who is interested in learning more about CRT. If you would to purchase a copy of my book on Amazon this is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Race-Theory-Addressing-Prejudice/dp/B096TJMS4Y/ref=sr_1_7?crid=31E5LGF2EAXTG&keywords=Kenneth+Dantzler+Corbin&qid=1660858504&sprefix=kenneth+dantzler+corbin%2Caps%2C1501&sr=8-7

Culture, Education, education, equal rights, Ethics, government, human rights, Politics, Public health, Science, Social Justice, White House

Did you know that there will likely be further demonstrations this weekend in response to the agony and anger caused by the Supreme Court’s decision about abortion?

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According to authorities, tear gas was deployed to disperse protesters outside the Arizona State Capitol. Numerous protestors gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park to oppose the judgment. Anti-abortion protestors were there, although they maintained a low profile. Following the demonstration, at least 20 individuals were “taken into jail with charges pending” throughout the city. In 2019, the biggest proportion of abortions performed on women requesting the procedure were performed on black women.

According to the statistics, they also had the highest abortion rate, with 23,8 abortions per 1,000 women. Black women who are pregnant or have just given birth are three to four times more likely to die than White women in the same circumstances. Friday, after the Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade, anti-abortion groups protest in Washington, D.C. Champagne is consumed by anti-abortion activists in front of the Supreme Court. Rachel Herring, an anti-abortion campaigner, said, “According to Judaism, life starts with the first breath, when the soul enters the body.”

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, supporters for abortion rights pound on the doors of the Arizona State Senate. On Friday, June 24, anti-abortion demonstrators celebrate in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. An anti-abortion activist wears socks that proclaim “abortion is cruel” while arguing with an abortion rights activist. On Friday, Jill McElroy and her nine-year-old daughter Meriam joined in an abortion rights rally in front of the Supreme Court. She stated, “A lesson we have always taught our children is that they are the masters of their own bodies, and the Court’s ruling today goes against that, and as a family, we believe that’s wrong.”

Champagne is consumed by anti-abortion activists in front of the Supreme Court. I was there at the moment the decision was made. I am delighted. Earlier, I was walking on air, says pro-life activist Noah Slayter. Friday, the phrase “Our bodies, our choices” is spray-painted on a temporary wall in Washington, D.C.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, pro-choice protestors pound on the doors of the Arizona State Senate on Friday. Outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, an anti-abortion protester wears socks that proclaim “abortion is cruel.” In Arizona and Arkansas, abortion providers have began discontinuing their services. Dr. DeShawn Taylor remarked that she anticipates a period of darkness, albeit hopefully not for too long.

Approximately twenty abortion appointments originally planned for Friday through next week were canceled by Taylor’s facility. The head of Planned Parenthood said, “The majority of patients were desperate or scared” before to Friday’s Supreme Court ruling on abortion availability in certain states. A new legislation in California shields anybody conducting, helping, or receiving an abortion from any prospective civil action originating from outside the state. A clinic owner in Mississippi said that a woman should not have to leave the state to get medical treatment.

Behavioral Science, Culture, equal rights, Ethics, human rights, Humankind, Politics, Stigma

Did you know that in the face of anti-Asian prejudice, these organizations agree on the next steps to be taken?

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The United States observes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

There has been an increase in the amount of violence directed against this community. According to the survey, women reported 61.8 percent of all hate events, with verbal harassment accounting for 63% of all instances and physical assault accounting for 16.2 percent. Stop AAPI Hatred is one of the various organizations formed to assist the AANHPI community. It was founded in March 2020 to detect and react to anti-Asian hate. The San Francisco-based organization invites individuals to report any abuse they have experienced so that the data may be used to better understand what is going on throughout the nation and how to combat it.


They also provide a framework for public policy to prevent harassment and bigotry. Soar Over Hate, located in New York, is another organization that was formed in response to the violence. The organization assists victims of anti-Asian hate crimes in obtaining self-defense weapons. They also provide a grant to high school students as well as a therapeutic fund that covers up to ten free therapy sessions. AAPI Women Lead looks at how AAPI women, girls, and gender-expansive populations are represented in the United States.


The organization, based in Oakland, California, has been working to reduce hate crimes. According to Tran, violence against women and our gender nonconforming or gender expansive groups is intersectional. Racial and patriarchal violence affect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. A panel on mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness in the AANHPI community will be held during AAPI Women Lead. Acupuncturists, herbal medicine practitioners, and intuitive healers will be on the panel. As Connie Wun, co-founder and executive director, remarked, they reclaim our practices as a component of our resistance.

Culture, government, History, human rights, Politics

Do you believe that Putin may soon officially declare war on Ukraine, the US, and Western?

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Russian President Vladimir Putin may declare war on Ukraine as early as May 9, allowing Russia to fully mobilize its reserve troops if invasion plans stall. However, in Russia, May 9 is celebrated as “Victory Day” for defeating the Nazis in 1945. Officials in the West have long assumed that Putin would use the day’s symbolic and propaganda importance to proclaim a military victory in Ukraine or a massive escalation of hostilities. Officials have focused on one scenario: Putin launched a war on Ukraine on May 9. Putin refers to the months-long struggle as a “special military operation,” thereby barring terms like invasion and war. According to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, he will strive to shift from his special operation.’ “So he has been tossing the dice, preparing the groundwork for a battle against Nazis that requires more people. “More Russian artillery fodder.”” The invasion of Ukraine — a nation led by a Jewish president — has been described as “denazification” by historians and political analysts alike.

He would not be astonished if Putin said on May Day that ‘we are now at war with the world’s Nazis and need to mass organize the Russian people, Wallace continued. An official war declaration on May 9 might enhance popular support for the invasion. Officials claim Russia urgently needs conscripts due to a rising labor shortfall. Since Russia attacked a little over two months ago, authorities in the West and Ukraine believe 10,000 Russian troops have died.

Culture, equal rights, Ethics, government, human rights, Politics, Social Justice

Did you know that most Americans don’t support politicians punishing firms for their views, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds?

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A Reuters/Ipsos survey revealed that a bipartisan majority of US voters reject governments penalizing firms for their social viewpoints, signaling a chilly response for campaigns like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ against Walt Disney Co.

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 24, 2022.John Raoux / AP file

However, a two-day survey concluded on Thursday found that 62% of Americans — including 68% of Democrats and 55% of Republicans — said they were less inclined to support a politician who favors suing firms for their political beliefs. As a result, DeSantis signed a measure this week depriving Disney of self-governing power over its Orlando-area parks in punishment for the company’s objection to a new Florida legislation restricting the teaching of LGBTQ matters in schools. Though it was an effort by DeSantis, a rising star in the Republican Party, to enhance his conservative credentials as a cultural fighter in advance of a potential challenge for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.