“Strive to be a warrior and a scholar. Be forged by fire and tempered by knowledge.” — Thucydides
After he refused to comply with vague and seemingly unlawful orders to remove his music videos from social media, the U.S. Army captain known to his fans as Von-T, was charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and deprived of needed medical services. To help him clear his record, and to address other abusive behavior in the military, an alliance of game-changers is now launching Operation Hellfighter, named in honor of James Reese Europe. Europe’s band as well as his fellow African-American soldiers who served in France during World War I were called the Harlem Hellfighters. Europe overcame great resistance and achieved notoriety as an innovative bandleader, arranger and composer. Over 100 years later, Von-T is encountering the same sort of harassment Europe endured as a response to his supposedly indecent music.
As Von-T’s videos are popular on YouTube and Instagram, it’s not apparent what purity test he failed to pass, or what he must do to simply create art without being tormented by a commander. Operation Hellfighter is a campaign to end such persecution on behalf of all service members. It’s also the name of our blog and podcast.
Von-T established a Facebook group aimed at exposing discrimination in the military that so far has attracted over 10,000 members, and he recently explained how widespread the problem is in the premiere episode of the Operation Hellfighter podcast.
Plans are afoot for a series of U.S. Tour of Duty events in 2022 featuring Von-T along with other artists and speakers intent on upholding justice. Some of our allies might surprise you.
I recently spoke with shoppers at a farmers market in downtown Los Angeles about the 50th anniversary of Earth Day (April 22), and what might be our greatest environmental problem. (Thanks to camera operator Antonio Ogaz, producer Carmelo Alvarez and editor Kevin Lynn.)
I interviewed criminal defense attorney Don Hammond about emergency orders concerning the coronavirus outbreak, including bizarre restrictions imposed by Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and Greenville, MS mayor Errick Simmons. Don explained the implications of Jacobson v. Massachusetts, a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case that held freedom of the individual must sometimes be subordinated to the common welfare, and is subject to the police power of the state. We also discussed how the pandemic has affected the legal profession, and why Don published a post on his blog that instructs miscreants how to get away with looting.
I had COVID-19 symptoms in December and January for about five weeks. It started with severe fatigue the first week. I slept most of each day during that period. Then my energy returned, and in the following four weeks my symptoms fluctuated between mild, intermittent shortness of breath, runny/stuffy nose and a dry cough. I also had achy legs and a fever of about 100 for three or four days. A flu test I took came back negative, blood tests revealed nothing and a chest x-ray showed healthy lungs. Doctors never diagnosed it as anything other than "probably some virus." Now comes a report by UncoverDC investigative journalist Tracy Beanz who analyzed statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that give credence to copious anecdotal evidence of COVID-19 spreading throughout the United States in the fall of 2019:
Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 might be the key to treating those who are or will become sick from the virus. The Mayo Clinic is conducting research with blood from such people. The results could spur an economic rebound and a return to something resembling normalcy.
One caveat: Some of my symptoms returned about 10 days ago for a week, but this time they were much milder, and there was no fever or achiness. Of course it's possible I didn't actually have the dreaded virus one or both times, but I definitely was vexed by telltale symptoms. The uncertainty underscores how important it is to pay close attention to everyone in my category, and for intensive research to accelerate forthwith.
It's anecdotal but I've heard from MANY people who say they had a pretty serious covid-like illness in December, January, or February. Just as I did. Many say they tested negative for flu. Did the horse leave the barn months ago and we're decimating the economy for no reason?
CDC assumes COVID-19 didn't break out in US till Jan. 15 when US "patient zero" traveled from China to Seattle, but needs to go back & verify cases & deaths reported as Influenza-Like Illnesses in Nov & Dec were, in fact, flu & not corona virus. Test them. Are they (+) for SARS2?
My husband and I had it in December. I went to ER with breathing problems. No pneumonia, so was sent home with an inhaler of medicine. Had exactly the same symptoms as COVID19, but they weren't testing then. ER said I had influenza.
