CHAPTER TWO
LIVING CULTURAL WARS

Chapter Two of Backspin, titled Living Cultural Wars, is introduced by a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison on December 20, 1787:  

I think our government will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they remain chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe, and go to eating one another as they do there.

The chapter looks at the following massive interrelated topics:

• Political changes in Hong Kong as a result of the new National Security Law
• History of racism in America. Black-White post-George Floyd. Increased Anti-Asian sentiment resulting from “Kung Flu” – Covid-19 pandemic
• Love-hate relationship between China and the West

Laws are written by the powers-that-be, whether in Beijing, Washington DC, or anywhere else, to protect the powers-that-be. The underlying driver: racism. National and global.

This chapter takes an in-depth look at the Derek Chauvin trial that highlighted systematic racism, qualified immunity, sickle cell as a genetic alibi for law enforcement, police reform laws, defunding police debate, police reforms, anti-Semitism…

We also look at White extremists serving in law enforcement and the military, reparations for descendants of slaves, critical race theory, how the White press historically stigmatized Black America, Trump’s attempt to steal the election and the “Last Line of Defense”
at the Department of Justice.

We examine the second impeachment of Trump, why racism still reigns, and the different tools to tackle racism, locally, nationally and globally.

While each chapter of my new book explores pressing issues, there is no greater common denominator than housing. We all need a roof.