Truth and Justice... The Deplorable Way

Fox News writer Todd Starnes, recently wrote an opinion piece where he claims Superman has now become a propaganda tool for the defenders of so-called illegal aliens.

"In the most recent issue of Action Comics, Superman comes to the rescue of a group of illegal aliens -- under attack from a white guy wearing an American flag bandanna and waving around a machine gun."- Fox News Opinion September 13, 2017

Superman protects immigrants from a
hail of gunfire in Action Comics 987

 He then points out that Superman seems to shirk his duty by not rounding up the undocumented immigrants, but harasses the white man (Or as he calls him, the American). Now if you are an avid  Superman comic fan, then I would encourage you to buy this edition, (Action Comics # 987) and judge for yourself. But for those engaged in the human rights narrative, please bear with me, I'll try not to nerd you out too much. Mr. Starnes POV will either make you roll your eyes, or wonder if Fox is having a slow news day. Todd seems to think that the Man of Steel no longer represents Truth, Justice, and the American way. Now Superman has a new agenda; which is to protect the other kind; alien invaders.

It's funny how some people like him forget that the character was created by two Jewish kids who were sons of immigrants. Jerry Siegel, and Joe Shuster, created a personal wish fulfillment of a character who would defend those who were defenseless. Shuster admitted that he was a victim of school and neighbor bullies because of his size, while Siegel was klutzy and awkward. Both boys wore glasses, and were shy around the girls (See where the Clark Kent idea came in?). Beyond that, they heard reports of a man who was threatening the very existence relatives and friends who couldn't escape injustice and tyranny in Europe.

"There is an assumption that there is an absolute standard of justice in the world. It's also

Creator and cartoonist Joe Shuster at 17 trying to become a Superman

true to the immigrant experience in that point in their hope for justice. 'We have come here-- we have come to this land. It will be okay here-- it will be okay and just here.' These are families that have come over from Europe, and they're watching whoever they left behind disappear in a very scary fashion."- Paul Levitz, President and Publisher of DC Comics (2002-2009) From the documentary, Secret Origin

Fox News takes exception that the DC's lead character would take a global stance against cold blooded murder of a group of people by this righteous America with an patriotic flag around his forehead. But ever since I remember, Superman has always had this thing about social justice. The Radio version feature a story called  "The Clan of The Fiery Cross" Yep you heard it right. Superman took on the KKK in a story of crime and white supremacy.  Some of the members of the group were business men, and all of them consider themselves good patriotic Americans who shouted "America for real Americans" while they terrorized a Hispanic boy and his family. Wow! Maybe bigotry never dies, it just hibernates...

The Man of Steel portrayed by George Reeves and assisted by Lois Lane, (Phyllis Coates)
 guards the entry to a hospital where a wounded alien is.

In the 1950's when TV sets were coming in every home, Superman intervened between a small town full of scared people who tried to burn and lynch some inner Earth dwellers. This was as close as Television dared to get to the issue of racism in "Superman and The Mole Men." It's 2nd rate Sci-Fi by today's standards, but fans of early television remember how George Reeves looked as he remarked, to the town bully boss, "Now I'm going to give you one last chance to stop acting like Nazi storm troopers!" The town tough shouts at him in outrage. "Who are you to tell us what to do?" His words counters Luke Benson's bluster, "All I'm telling you is that little creature has as much right to live as you do!" The reincarnation of Superman with the Lois and Clark Series in 1993 sees Superman and the Daily

"Vigilance is the Price of Liberty,"
warns Perry White

Planet staff clashing with the emergence of the Fourth Reich. At the end, a distraught Perry White (Lane Smith) discovers one of his own college friends was a Nazi, as he laments the Thomas Jefferson quote; "Vigilance is the price of Liberty," warning his staff that there are more out there of that kind. Seems an eerie foretelling in the face of Charlottesville, Virginia.

Could it be that some media outlets and opinion writers are finding themselves on the wrong side of certain issues? While some political types want to re-define what the American way is, they're afraid that Truth and Justice has evolved in to some sort of political correctness, which could brainwash kids. To further shame the comic industry, Starnes scoffs that maybe DC will issue a story where we will see The Flash bringing Mexicans across the border, or Wonder Woman rounding up white Texas Ranchers with her lasso, who are just trying to defend their land. (No doubt referring to the Cliven Bundy stand-off in Nevada)  The inference of course is comic heroes have evolved into agents of liberal America.

The psychology here is (IMO) that if you've always got your political switch on, you're going to see things through the eyes of your politics. I'm reminded of watching Brene Brown on CBS This Morning as she recounts her Hurricane Harvey experience. She calls it "Holding Hands With Strangers." 

Hurricane Harvey victims assisting each other during crisis

"As a Hustonian, we were just massively reminded-- my husband was in a kayak pulling neighbors out of their houses. I was in a shelter-- there was no time did I see people say, 'I will help you. What is your political belief?-- who did you vote for?' We need to hold hands with strangers. We need reminders-- collective joy and pain-- reminders that we are inextricably connected to each other by something greater than us-- and we need that on a daily basis." - Brene Brown interview, CBS This Morning 

 Maybe the whole idea of a Super-man is the idea of helping those who need help no matter what their status in life is. Maybe a lot of people who helped out in Texas and Florida read a comic book or two when they were kids, or maybe not. It could be the only super power needed is just to give a damn.

Acknowledgements:

 The Superman Trademark and images related, are the property of  Warner Bros., DC Entertainment Inc, Warner Communications 2017.

Special Thanks to:

 Reverb Press on Twitter who broke the story first.
also to my social justice warrior friend on Twitter, Sherry Lucich. @Comixgrrl 

Previous Issue:

Rape Insurance???

Rape Insurance???

I've learned that people will forget what you said, 

People will forget what you did, 

But they will never forget,

 How you made them feel

-Maya Angelou

I had originally written this story for publishing last month, but out of respect to the flood victims of Houston, Texas, I put a pin in it.

Apparently some women of Texas are being made to feel as though they were born the wrong gender, and their body parts are a pre-existing condition. Or do their male lawmakers need a "Freaky Friday" experience before they write laws regulating a woman's body? State Rep. John Smithee (R-Texas) authored a bill that would require women in the state of Texas to have Insurance covering all non-threatening medical procedures. "Now This News" on Twitter  posted the ironic fact that Smithee himself admits he doesn't understand why a woman has a hysterectomy, a breast exam, or any medical procedure.

Smithee defends his bill on the floor, but can't
 answer questions about women's reproductive issues.

It begs the question, what makes some of the Texas lawmakers feel qualified to past laws about women's reproductive needs while being incompetent on the subject, or why companies from covering abortion care in their standard plans, requiring women to pay extra premiums for coverage if they think they may need abortions at some point. In a nutshell for women, if she's raped and becomes pregnant but did not predict she might need to have an abortion when making her insurance coverage selections for the year, then she would have to pay out up-front for an abortion. This bill, believe it or not, is call "Rape Insurance." It's an open secret that Greg Abbott has been attempting to kill women's reproductive rights in Texas since he took office. Abbott's main target has been Planned Parenthood. It's amazing how he sits at his desk and in a Trump style manner, flashes the signed bill before the cameras in triumph of Texas rights over a woman's rights.

Whatever injustices female rape victims endure, including rape kit backlogs, the failure of law enforcement and the courts to catch and convict rapists, to add the burden that a victim, no matter what her economic status is, cannot get a legal abortion under this new law, unless she has already paid for it in advance is criminal. 

Gregg Abbott, Governor Tx proudly puts his signature to bill.

Texas has callously, in the name of economic freedom, written a bill that (they say) no longer obligates taxpayers to subsidize medical procedures that they may find morally objectionable.  This is of course a dog-whistle for the anti-abortion crowd and another attempt to strike a political win for their side.
Their idea of economic freedom for taxpayers, leaves incest and rape victims at the mercy of their circumstances. A victim who gets pregnant through a crime has no recourse, and no other options unless they can pay additional out-of-market premiums just to protect themselves. The sad part is this was passed by mostly male lawmakers. State Rep. John Smithee who authored this cruel bill couldn't tell you how a woman's reproductive system works.
Dr. Eugene Gu, a resident physician at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and president of the Ganogen Research Institute remarked in an article: 

"Rape victims by definition lose control over their own bodies during rape. Texas lawmakers essentially just took away that last drop of control women have afterwards. This law would have been much less controversial had they included these very basic exceptions and it is beyond puzzling why they did not do so. It is also ironic that they speak of economic freedom for the taxpayer while subjecting women to the most cruel form of economic control."-  
Texas 'rape insurance' bill is about economic violence against women. The Hill

 But according to Texas, women must plan to be raped. And parents shouldn't take their children around relatives or plan for their children to be victims of incest,” Texas Rep. Chris Turner (D) said before the bill passed. “Asking a woman or a parent to foresee something like that and buy supplemental insurance to cover that horrific possibility is not only ridiculous, it is cruel.”- Texas Tribune August 9, 2017

I think winning the abortion war at all costs has become the main goal with the politically righteous. People like these, don't look at a person's individual circumstances, or for that matter anyone's situation. That is what's called being out of touch with the people. They focus on making things appear to look better with new political paint over corrosive circumstances. But then again, looking like a winner is all that matters. I think the Houston Chronicle summed it up best.

"Our state lawmakers can't figure out how to cut our property taxes or fix our broken method of financing public schools. But when it comes to devising new ways of harassing women who want to end pregnancies, they're as inventive as Thomas Edison. "-Health insurance restriction is just the latest scheme to deny women access to abortion- Houston Chronicle, August 17, 2017

Special thanks to: 

Daughter of a SgtMaj‏ @bodyfit67 on Twitter who reminded me to un-pin the story.

Previous article:

Where is The Love?

Where is The Love?

"But if you only have love for your own race,

Iesha Evans confronting Baton Rouge police 2016

Then you only leave space to discriminate.
And to discriminate only generates hate,
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah.
Madness is what you demonstrate.
And that's exactly how anger works and operates.
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight.
Take control of your mind and meditate.
Let your soul gravitate to the love

-Black Eye Peas

"I'm human. I'm a woman. I'm a mom. I'm a nurse. I could be your nurse. I could be taking care of you. You know?" Evans said. "I'm here. We all matter. We don't have to beg to matter. We do matter."

Iesha Evans in a CBS interview last year, explained the reason for her face-to-face confrontation with the police in this now famous picture. She had watched the killing of young men like Philando Castile by the police, even when they had the upper-hand. Moments like these need to be remembered because we see Iesha trying to give an answer of non-violence to (what appears to be) an epidemic of rising police brutality, and yes, sexual assault.

Sexual misconduct among police officers is the second most common complaint. However, sexual abuse by officers may be underreported because of flawed or absent reporting procedures or the victims’ unwillingness to come forward. Hence, officer sexual misconduct is sometimes referred to as a “hidden crime.”

Esmerelda Rossi 

In Chandler Arizona, Officer Doug Rose enters the home of Esmerelda Rossi on the pretense of investigating a domestic dispute complaint by Rossi's ex-husband. When her daughter interrupted her mom's shower to announce the police were there, the woman wrapped a towel around herself and asked the office to please wait at the door. He refused to do so. Rose then tells Rossi that she was under arrest. The cop grabs her arms causing the towel to drop while you can hear hysteria from both the mom and daughter. After giving the traumatize woman a lecture, both Rose and his partner leave. It was quite evident Rose had entered the home illegally, and conducted a perverted act. Also note Rose's body cam was not turned on. It would have been a true "He said, she said" situation if Esmerelda's daughter had not turned on her cell phone.

According to the Atlantic Black Star: Black women have a high risk of being victims of this abuse. During a frisk, officers may pat down any areas where they think a gun might be concealed, including intimate areas. Many women report feeling extremely humiliated during these experiences, particularly if the officer is male. Because Black women are more likely to be stopped by the police, and also more likely to be frisked during these stops, they are at higher risk for being sexually assaulted during a stop.

Some rogue cops may use racist tactics to conduct a search on women of color such as looking for drugs. When Charnesia Corley was a 20 year old college student in Texas, she was pulled over for allegedly running a stop sign and failing to use turn signals. Corley was made to stand, handcuffed,

Charnesia Corley

outside her car while two officers look inside. She underwent an illegal body cavity search on the premise that the police detected the smell of marijuana. Corley was then put on the ground, naked below the waist, and examined for about 11 minutes by a female officer using a flashlight. The incident happened in the parking lot of a Texaco garage in Houston late on a June evening in 2015. At first Corley wouldn't comply with the officer's demands for the cavity search, until the police officer threaten to break her legs. This was a similar tactic Daniel Holtzclaw used in Oklahoma City to conduct a reign of Terror on 13 black women. He would pull black women over, run the suspects driver's license. Some of the women had outstanding warrant's or priors such as possession small ounce of Marijuana. Holtzclaw would threaten his victims with being locked up, or performing a sex act on him. A big factor seemed to play in Holtzclaw's favor is that many people question the credibility of a black woman against a police officer.

These Houston officer's who pulled Charnesia Corley over for a traffic violation escalated the situation into a sexual assault. You can argue all you want to about the police doing their job, but this was a humiliating experience for the victim. “When you stick your fingers in somebody without their effective consent, that’s rape in any state that I know of,” said Sam Cammack, an attorney for Charnesia Corley. -The Guardian August 15, 2017
I've been amazed by some on social media who can look at a video of a act of abuse, or murder, and dismiss it. Please note no charges against Charnesia Corley were pressed. 

I pause to say, it's not fair to paint all cops with the same brush, but the bad cops reputations are proceeding them. Most of you saw the video of a frighten female motorist who was stopped by Lt. Greg Abbott in Atlanta GA. She was afraid to move or use her cell phone because she had seen way too many videos of cops. Abbott then retorted the dumbest comment since Jim Crow.

“But, you’re not black. Remember, we only shoot black people. We only kill black people, right? All the videos you’ve seen, have you seen the black people get killed?”

There is no excuse for sexual assault or sexual misconduct by the police. Both Rose and Abbott were given retirement pay and quietly slipped out of sight. No criminal charges were ever filed. Because sexual assault has gone unreported for a long time, that has been my focus. I usually leave mainstream civil rights to others. But I continue to see evidence of racism and sexual assault joining forces, and it's mind- numbing to me this we live in a society, where there are predators among the protectors, and we can't tell one from another.

"The standard you walk past, is the standard you accept." 

-David Morrison Former Lt. General, Australian Army 

Special thanks to: 

Barbara Jackson @Nyota_nuru on Twitter for passing on the story of :Looking at How Black Women Are Policed in America

Related Article:

The Times They Are A Changin 

Previous Article

 In The Heat of The Night

In The Heat of The Night

In the heat of the night

Seems like a cold sweat
Creeping cross my brow, oh yes
In the heat of the night
I'm a feelin' motherless somehow
Stars with evil eyes stare from the sky
(In the heat of the night)
-Quincy Jones




A blues tune about the crimes of the old South, written and composed by Qunicy Jones, became the title of a hit movie in 1967 about the evil misery of crime. I think about how sexual assault in the military is quiet, but it's presence is still there, and ripple through lives.

Seems Like a Cold Sweat

The bad news is, sexual assault continues to be an issue in the US Armed Forces.  A female trainee at Fort Benning, Georgia, leveled sexual assault allegations against her drill sergeant, which set off deeper investigations showing additional allegations of sexual misconduct involving trainees and drill sergeants.

The good news is, I give the US Army good marks for taking action against these Drill Sergeants who crossed the line. According to a NY Times article:

“Our initial actions are to ensure the safety and welfare of all of our Soldiers,” the statement said. “The drill sergeants have been suspended from drill sergeant duties, and will have no contact with trainees during the course of the investigation."- Fort Benning Drill Sergeants Suspended Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations. Aug. 23, 2017

The Army has taken some pains to assure the public that all soldiers there are required to complete the Army’s “very thorough” Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention training program, known as Sharp. The obvious problem to me is, while the US Army acknowledges that sexual assault is a real issue, I wonder if their methods in dealing with sexual assault are out-dated. I've yet to see many victims of sexual assault give SHARP high marks in effectiveness.

PFC Schutte Woodruff

"I honestly can't remember one thing particular thing that came from any of the videos at all because we were so tired, and we were so beat down, and none of those videos helped me at all. The SHARP program, definitely could have been enhanced if they had maybe a live speaker talk about it, or if they just had somebody that was passionate about it. I think that's where a lot of times it gets kind of thrown under the rug. We just make people go through the SHARP, but they're not passionate about it. They have no desire to really get with victims and see how they operate because you can't really fix something that's a problem if you don't understand where that person may be coming from. A lot of the times I've ran into a few that just... they're not approachable. As a victim, you need to be approachable. If I can't approach you with my deepest, darkest secrets, you are nothing. You, you are of no help. All the training you have is nothing if I don't come forward."- Natasha Schuette Woodruff Youtube, CAPE, June 10, 2010

Sharp and SAPRO (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office) are set up as programs to speak

to the issues, but not necessarily to the soldier, sailor, airmen, or marine personally. Creativity can't change attitudes about rape. And you can give death by power point lectures on the subject, but it's not the magic bullet in stopping or at least decreasing the number of assaults. What can a recruit do in a situation where he or she is watched, commanded, and handled by a person with complete authority over their every move? If a Drill Instructor wants to give her extra duty, she must comply, if he wants to isolate her, she has to obey.  Basically, a boot camp recruit, jumps, stands, sits, speaks, eats, and takes a crap when the DI tells them to. It's all about making a person into a someone who takes orders and obeys without question. When a Drill Sergeant demands a recruit gives up his or her sexuality, that is a human violation, and has no place in any institution.

I've Got Trouble Wall To Wall

Natasha Woodruff shares her testimony of her sexual assault in boot camp, but also the little things that lead up to the incident. Her testimony shows that her Drill Instructor was highly proficient in his job, but morally bankrupt in handling female recruits.

"I was out on the firing range and the same drill sergeant came around, and as he cleared my weapon he was asking me if I would let him have sex with me, or if there was anybody in the barracks that he could-- and that I was I was so shocked I was like-- 'no drill sergeant-- you know. 'I don't know if anybody in the Bay would want to do that.' I said you know-- 'no.' When I got back I went to that same battle buddy-- and her I talked about it and she was like-- 'wow, I can't believe he said that,' and there was nobody around though because the firing ranges are set up differently--- and so there was no again-- no witnesses for anything but that would have been my second red flag." Natasha Schuette Woodruff Youtube, CAPE, June 10, 2010

The problem of sexual assault continues because some men and women are recruited, and even promoted, based on total performance, and not on character. Character is the inner stuff that keeps us all in check at every level of our lives. Good parents don't abuse or hurt a child to prove they are in charge. A person may have the smarts and skill to run a company but someone with integrity doesn't grope an employee because he writes the paycheck. A good minister doesn't molest a young altar boy in the name of God because no one is looking. Character needs to matter more that ever in our military.
When a person enlists into the military, a background check is made to some degree. The background check should red flag behavior which would make the person an undesirable. I wonder how deep the background checks go? A quick check would show felony convictions, or even misdemeanors, but does it always catch the other things. Sometimes these slip under the radar because a deep character assessment wasn't carried out.

Stars With Evil Eyes

The other problem is; if leaders are dead serious about getting rid of sexual assault and harassment out of the military, then it needs to be said to the troops, and said often. Good leaders don't just talk about the issue when it becomes a scandal, but they do their best to make sure everyone knows it won't be tolerated. And the highest ranking officers need to keep the leadership below them accountable right down to the last man. We've had so many military scandals in the past including what happened at Aberdeen, it should be a constant reminder that this problem won't go away with time.

Thanks you: Rosie Palfy and Veracrusin for your insight and awareness into military issues.

Special thanks to: Barbara on Twitter @Barbara20110481 for sharing the article: Fort Benning Drill Sergeants Suspended Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations.

Related Vlog:

The Invisible Warrior Report- Another Military Scandal

Previous Blog Special: Trumpspell