Chairman's Corner

Racism stops progress

Stop. Full stop. Until the American disease of Racism is defanged.

Black people can no longer progress slower than the dominating culture. Their every step is slowed or blocked by the specter of racism. Majority rule using ruler sanctioned violence and murder is the excuse that has blocked, minimized, and warped the lives of Black African-descended peoples in America since 1619, and native Tribal people of Turtle Island since 1492 by invading peoples from the European continent. 2020 has offered back-to-back crises in the form of the Novel Coronavirus or Covid-19, and Black People now rising up with allies and other groups who have suffered under minimalizations thrusted upon them by ruling classes. Full stop. The first crisis, encircling the globe, stopped everyone at mid-step. Recognition now comes that a virus opened a spectacular window to the income inequities, health disparities, racism and law enforcement intents to brutality to maintain a certain order. The order must change, the people are marching and insisting on Full Stop to the tool of racism. 8:46 minutes. The time it took for law enforcement to reveal its depravity and obedience to masters who show no remorse and offer any excuse to maintain the order established for too long. Tennessee Alliance for Progress is stopping and reflecting its mission as its title demands. Tennessee cannot progress without dealing with racism. The state of the least of us is the state of all of us. The streets now hold the message. Tennessee Alliance for Progress must be present to listen to that message. TAP rides along with the quest for justice. We will maintain our mission, but a greater mission has befallen us. We will talk and plan policy changes, and join where we can in the steps progressing to a future Black people, and foremost Indigenous Peoples, now envision. We're here in the struggle in solidarity and in justice.