People of Peace and Justice,

Thank you Chelsea Adams for alerting people to the incident on your campus alleging police brutality against Obama supporters at the University of Arkansas, Jonesboro. Please update the public to ongoing developments regarding your classmates treatment by the local justice system. (chelsea.adams@smail.edu)

We should not be surprised by the backlash of pre and post election racist, sexist and homophobic anger. Aunt Bea warned me long ago - old habits die hard! A democratically elected president Barack Obama will not end racism. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton will not end sexism. Gay Rights activists will not end homophobia. However, we do have an historic opportunity to be governed and co-exist peacefully in this nation. Conversely, there is a large minority of Americans discontent with the democratic process, discontent with a a mass popular movement setting its sites on rule by and for We the People.

Since the election there have been numerous reported incidents of aggression in various locales around the country against Obama supporters by fellow citizens and police. In cases where victims reported threats and violence to police, many complaints have been treated with a seeming lack of interest by law enforcement authorities. A spate of reported incidents also involve hate crimes; effigies placed on public display, campuses and work sights. In my native Pittsburgh area, following the election a black student was harassed in high school, leading to a fight, followed by a group of white students menacing the student later on at his home.

There are groups monitoring the recent upsurge of Hate Crimes. One such monitor, the Southern Poverty Law Center (www.splc.org) is actively tracing incidents in the south. The Equal Justice Society of San Francisco-Washington D.C., (www.ejs.org) is active nationwide doing its part to monitor race, gender and minority relations.The NAACP (www.naacp.org) is now filing complaints in a number of jurisdictions. Incidents like those reported on the campuses in North Carolina, Arkansas and Columbia University, New York City, civil rights violations and hate crimes, are being reported throughout the nation. A spate of homophobic incidents have taken place in California during and following the heated Proposition 8 initiative, banning same sex marriage.

We must be vigilant in our monitoring, support and defense of civil rights. Numerous anti-Obama/white racist individuals and groups have gone public with angry, threatening, panic stricken statements. President Obama and the Justice Department cannot by themselves protect our citizens and prosecute all the perpetrators. We must join in these efforts as listening posts, observers and witnesses to these criminal acts. We are a racist, bigoted nation, at home and abroad. The struggle to rectify injustices has merely begun.

President Obama is a civilized man. But he is no Martin Luther King. He has not presented himself in league with past visionaries and we should not expect him to do so. We can demand he and the Congress respect the
wishes and will of the electorate responsible for their present office holdings. We elected a president, governors and many congress people against the status quo plans of political machines. We may now keep the process going - from the bottom up.

Are you willing will come forward to lead, to help build this generation on the road to Peace and Justice at home and abroad? Recent evidence suggests Yes! Yes there are many committed to forward our common struggle for advanced civilization.