Columnists

It’s been 57 years since Martin Luther King, Junior, gave his “I have a dream speech.” And, 56 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Over this period, too little has changed. The United States has a persistent systemic racism problem that must be fixed.

In the most recent Gallup Poll (https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/312875/race-relations-nation-important-problem.aspx) respondents indicated that race relations were the most pressing national problem: "Gallup's long-standing 'most important problem' question provides important context for measuring the impact of the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis... Some 19% of Americans named race relations as the nation's top problem in our May 28-June 4 survey. This is, by one point, the highest percentage since July 1968."

I'm a privileged white man. Therefore, I broach the subject of racism with trepidation. Nonetheless, here are five suggested actions that white folks can take to improve race relations. These are actions you can take at home or in your community. -more-

The shelter-in-place in Contra Costa County was the definitive moment at which I realized coronavirus is serious business. At the time it began, my wife and I were partway through a move within our apartment building. Because we are dependent on a subsidy from HUD to be able to afford rental, there is a lot of paperwork and hoops to jump through to accomplish even in a small move like this one. -more-

Few would disagree that the collapse of the U.S. economy into a recession was mainly caused by the coronavirus pandemic and worsened by the inept leadership at the federal level. It would seem to follow that the priority should be to contain the causative virus and reduce the deaths associated with it as quickly as possible before reopening the economy. Instead, those in power are trying to have it both ways by continuing the fight against the virus while reopening our economy, resulting in a losing battle on both fronts. -more-

Bolton's Still Revoltin'

John Bolton, Don Trump's former National Security Advisor (and the Lorax's crazy uncle), recently made an appearance on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show and went about the business of flogging his new tell-all book by dissing his former boss.

He ridiculed Trump. He lambasted Trump. He demonized Trump. He debased Trump. But he wouldn't apologize for continuing to play along with Trump despite his growing distaste for the man. Bolton now boasts he's made a clean break with the Master of Disaster.

At the same time, however, there's evidence that there's still a power connection between the Bronzed Bullfrog of Belligerence and his Mustached Toady. Here's the tip-off. How many people in Colbert's viewing audience noticed that over Bolton's right shoulder—in his den covered with framed documents—there was one framed letter prominently on display that bore a unique and unmistakable signature.

Yep, it was a framed letter signed by Donald J. Trump. -more-