Freedom At Last For Gernalow Wilson Georgia Supreme Court Rules In Favor For His Release

      

                  The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled 4-3 in favor to release Gernalow Wilson. Wilson was wrongfully convicted of having oral sex with a girl at a party when he was seventeen and the girl was fifteen years old in the year 2003. Even though the sexual act was consensual Wilson was still sentenced to ten years in prison. Wilson will now be released he is now twenty one years old. The State of Georgia has a price to pay for not only tarnishing Wilson’s reputation but also affecting and harming  his life.

         The Jena Six and Gernalow Wilson cases underscores the hated American society continues to have for young black men.  Its important to note that black activism is so crucial especially in precarious times such as the present. Black American activists made their voices heard about the Gernalow Wilson case and justice finally is taking place. Its so disconcerting that it had taken two very long years for the Georgia Supreme Court to do the right thing. Its disgusting, racist, yet a perfect crystal clear example of the misandry that exists against young black men.

            I sure hope Wilson sues the State of Georgia because he was locked up unfairly for two very long years. Its cruel, pernicious, and abhorrent treatment he endured. It makes me very angry and it just proves once again supremacy exists not just in society but also in the judicial system as well. Its such an injustice and a clear example of America’s racism against young black males. I believe there is indeed a pattern taking place here where young black men are unfairly being targeted and incarcerated by the American judicial system. And people say America has come a long way give me a break. Hopefully Wilson can have a productive and successful life but this case is a clear example of the disparity of justice for whites and blacks in the United States. Wilson lost his innocence its so sad what happened to him. I hope he has the strength to move on from this tragedy.

Link to Associated Press Article about Wilson: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071026/ap_on_re_us/teen_sex_case

Link to CNN article about Wilson case:http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/26/wilson.freed/?iref=mpstoryview

Is Europe More Racist Than North America? Swiss Elections Expose European Racism Against Black People

A right wing party in Switzerland called the  SVP party, is proposing a new controversial law that will deport criminals and their families from Switzerland. The leader of the SVP party, Ueil Maurer, states that his party is not racist, but believes in protecting the “security” of Switzerland. Why deport entire families? I think this sounds like repatriation, this is shocking, and deleterious! The SVP strategy has worked, the party gained 29% of the vote in Swiss elections. It is very   clear to me this is just a disguise for racism. The SVP strategy was to break down the linguistic divide between the different regions of Switzerland and they attracted more French and Italian votes.

In the past the SVP party main target for voters was in the rural areas of Switzerland and the small towns. However, in the 1990s the SVP party shifted its focus to attract a larger voice in Swiss politics. There is a fear in Switzerland that too many non whites are living in the country.

An interesting fact about Switzerland is the country has a long history of being culturally diverse. In fact Germans, French, and Italians, have lived together in Switzerland for centuries. French, Italian, Romansch,and German are also the official languages in Switzerland. Switzerland was never a “monolithic” or “homogeneous” country.

However, the Germans , French, and Italians in Switzerland have one thing in common their “whiteness”. The SVP party feels too many “non whites” are moving into Switzerland and are changing the complexion of the nation. Immigrants already make up 20% of Switzerland’s population.

The SVP propaganda advertisements are a very chilling reminder of the power of racist imagery. In the advertisment, you see three white sheep standing on the Swiss flag and the only black sheep is kicked out. Recently, in Switzelrand there were riots in the city of Bern forty two people were arrested. The issue of racism, immigration, and xenophobia has exploded like an atomic bomb in the once “neutral” country of Switzerland. It is extremely typical during elections to find scapegoats and people of colour are vulnerable to become victims of  white supremacists.

I have to ask the question, why do African people bother living in such xenophobic and racist countries such as Switzerland, Austria, or Germany? I am well aware that other European countries have anti black prejudices and biases such as Russia. I am focusing on the Western European countries at the moment to be the focus of this discussion.

The German speaking countries are known for their history of racism and anti black prejudices. I understand that people move to Europe for educational opportunities, for a better life, or to live with families. I continue to be amazed when I hear about African people living in those German speaking countries. Why? Why bother living in Europe at all? Why don’t the Africans move to North America they will be safer here?

Its so frightening Germany and Austria especially the hostility and racism against black people is so shocking. Why do African people bother living “there”? Why not live in the UK or something? Yes, I know the UK has issues with racism but at least there is a black community in England.

France is a country that once claimed to be tolerant of “different” people such as Josephine Baker and Langston Hughes. Well times have changed in France the nation now has an immigration crisis.

The French have banned Muslim girls from wearing the hijab at schools. I know in France, there are racists such as the current French president Nicolas Sarkozy and the right wing leader Jean Marie Le Pen.

Last year, Sarkozy called immigrant youth “scum”, even though he’s the son of Hungarian immigrants. For the white French majority although Sarkozy is of Hungarian origin he’s still white and he is still viewed as a “real” European.

Immigration and racial intolerance was one of the main themes for the recent French election. In France there is a strong current of xenophobia and racism against blacks and Arabs.

I have to ask the question, why do black people even bother living in Europe? I would like to know?

If you’re a black person or a person of colour why did you choose to live in Europe instead of say North America? Was it due to the pull of jobs, education, living with family? I would like to know what is so attractive, interesting, exciting about Europe? There is this facade that Europe is a continent of tolerance. Europeans like to present themselves as forward thinking people but the truth is the intolerance against people of colour is extreme and the racism is even stronger.

I am not suggesting there is no racial intolerance against immigrants in North America because there is. In North America, there is a man on CNN named Lou Dobbs. Dobbs has uses his TV program on CNN as a platform to complain about the Hispanics.

Why does the American media act as though “whites immigrants” from other countries do not enter America illegally that its just people of colour?

I find this kind of reporting not only racist but also extremely xenophobic as well. Dobbs program is a ratings winner for CNN. Obviously CNN isn’t going to remove Dobbs for his obvious xenophobic and racist views on Mexicans and Hispanics.

Why doesn’t Dobbs conduct a special about Europeans that are illegally immigrating to the United States? Why just focus on Hispanics? Dobbs is generating a lot of revenue for for CNN with his rhetoric. The issue of immigration reform will be one of the central issues in the 2008 USA Presidential election in the United States next year.

Link to Time Magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1673669,00.html

Link to Economist Article: http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10024795