Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
Will Racist Reactions To Covid-19 Deepen The Divide Between Races In International Politics?
Around the world, people are experiencing unprecedented difficulties as a result of the widely spread virus named Covid-19. The virus, of which there is no cure or vaccine at this time, has killed over 250,000 people since it emerged just a few months ago. The first case is thought to have been in Wuhan, China on the 17th of November 2019. This has led to a number of reactions to the virus being based on outdated and racist perceptions that have put many blameless people at risk of hate crimes. The short-term effects of this are evident in the hate speech and actions toward Asian people in both the media and in person. In the long term, the increase in paranoia and xenophobia surrounding people from China since the start of the pandemic can lead to deeper divides between races in international politics which is deepened by the negative media
By Charlotte Elliott6 years ago in The Swamp
The Evolution (Or Lack Thereof) of New York City’s Public Housing System: How The Projects Came To Be
For all of us in New York and around the country, we are living in a time when change is in high demand. But change can not happen without knowledge and reflection. The first step towards enacting change in areas like public housing is by understanding how the problems came to be in the first place.
By Rachel Billings6 years ago in The Swamp
5 Years of Marriage Equality
June 26, 2015: the day that love won. Five years ago today, the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality was the law of the land, which they voted 5-4. At the time, I was working at a non-profit in Springdale, Arkansas as a administrative assistant when I heard the exciting news. The United States became the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a win for LGBTQ+ people, allies, and activists everywhere. As of June 2020, there are 29 countries that marriage equality is recognized. The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 6 years ago in The Swamp
Culture Wars 2020
By Dejaye Botkin, LPC A Divided Nation During the campaign leading up to Donald Trump’s election victory, I lost many friends along the way. I withdrew from family over my mother’s adoration of Donald Trump and my sister’s alt-right Facebook Posts. Throughout the election process, and after Trump won, I heard Fox News propaganda coming out of both of their mouths – and I was afraid they too, were becoming Trump Zombie-sycophants. Slowly but surely, my estrangement from loved ones grew into a larger circle – my mother, sister, cousin, peers, colleagues, and ultimately, I lost my best 45-year childhood friend. During the 2016 election, my whole world turned upside down. People whom I have known my whole life started becoming tribal. One group sided with Donald Trump, (A.K.A. the deplorables’), and the other side, was against him, (A.K.A nevertrumpers). I started noticing Trump seducing the minds of those in America who admired him for his wealth and also wanted to get rich quick. For those who want to be just like him – he is excellent at selling the fantasy with zero shame. He is the kind of snake oil salesman people talk about when they discuss dirty sales tricks. He made it acceptable to be greedy, selfish, and prejudice about anything and everyone not like him. He glorifies bullying and blackmail as everyday business tactics and allowed the white supremacists, sex addicts, and white-collar criminals to come out of the shadows.
By Dejaye Botkin6 years ago in The Swamp
The Power of Protest
George Floyd was killed by cops on a street corner in Minneapolis, America’s 46th-largest city. He was not famous, yet in death, he has galvanized Americans into action seeking social reform. More remarkably, Floyd has inspired protests abroad, from Brazil to Australia and Indonesia to France.
By Fathima S Meer6 years ago in The Swamp
“The Great Satan
In 2018, our 45th President, Donald John Trump, recanted on an anti-nuclear deal backed by the EU, China and Russia. The Obama era negotiation aimed at ceasing Iran‘s desire to develop ballistic weapons; thusly, the current administration crept back to the age old playbook of reimposed sanctions. Ever since, Iran has continued to incite Western anger and annoyance with various defying actions: such as seizing tankers.
By Thomas Saulsberry6 years ago in The Swamp
US Presidential Election 2020, Trump vs Biden: See Latest Poll Results
There is roughly 4 months and two weeks left for the US Presidential Election coming up on November 3, 2020. Many Polls have been conducted lately between Republican President Donald Trump, and the presumed Democratic nominee, former vice President Joe Biden.
By Paul Oranika6 years ago in The Swamp
The American Truth
History has been seriously watered down when it comes to the truth behind the Black experience in the United States of America. Some individuals (usually non-black) wholeheartedly believe that if Black people would just simply “obey the authorities” we would be fine, and everyone would get to walk away alive. Yes, do what you can to be a law abiding and respectful citizen, but It needs to be understood that after Slavery was abolished, most of white America was FURIOUS. For those who opposed the abolishment of slavery, simply being black and “free” was a crime in their eyes, and it was a crime that white authorities had to keep in order. White America’s economy and money making through slavery were disrupted, and now their purchased human beings who they whipped, bred, sold, hung, burned, maimed and raped were supposed to be their EQUAL??? It was unfathomable to them. Laws were established back then to help keep white Americans in power “for their losses”, and today many of those laws are STILL in place. This is where the systemic hate was conceived ... “hate that I am being forced to see you and treat you as an equal, and for that I will show you that you are not”. This mentality is embedded in American history and is STILL embedded in the minds of so many today, and it is called White Supremacy. People are still teaching their children that they are better than, or more worthy than Blacks simply because that ideology has been passed down through their families since slavery. Even if the teachings don’t go as far to say “you are better than them”, some are being taught that white people brought Africans to America to teach them how to be civilized, are were given free meals and living accommodations. That sounds like the propaganda that was spread about the “cafes” that Jewish people had access to for their “enjoyment” in concentration camps (look it up). All lies and cover ups for white corruption. I recently had the opportunity to explain to a white coworker, who is in their 50’s, that segregations was not meant to protect Black people. This coworker was under the impression that Black people went to and lived in black neighborhoods only because they were “safer there” …Can we talk about Tulsa??? I had to explain that we were FORCED to stay in our own neighborhoods because we were not allowed to be in white neighborhoods, sections of a bus, sections of a restaurant, section or a library, or any other facility that white people did not want to encounter a black face. This was a clear indication of distorted teachings! In America, there is obvious fear on bother sides of this white picket fence. On one side there is a fear of losing a way of life, and on the other side there is a fear of losing life all together. The fact is, a system and way of life should have NEVER been built on the backs of people who were stolen from their rich land to be forced into making someone else’s land rich FOR FREE. So, you see, it’s not about “obeying the authorities”, it’s about changing laws that were established to keep a specific group of people in power and protected. Should any white person who decide to hunt down and murder a former slave because they could no longer make money off them, THEY would be PROTECTED “in the name of the law”. This diluted version of American history has strategically hidden the truth behind people’s emotions, actions, and reactions, specifically Black people. America was never built to protect Black Lives; it was built to keep Black Lives in order.
By Maya Holton6 years ago in The Swamp
Where's the Money? . Top Story - June 2020.
Back in October 2019, a video posted by an old school friend popped up on my Instagram feed. In this video, he was sat on the shoulders of another friend, leading chants in Lebanese asking, ‘Where’s the money?’, surrounded by a crowded street of protestors in London who were holding up Lebanese flags and banners. This school friend was Joseph El Kadi, a 23-year-old Lebanese student who is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Cambridge. My interest peaked when I saw the video, but with the pressures of work taking a toll and the lack of media attention surrounding the issues in Lebanon, I liked the video, pushed my interest in the video to the back of my mind, and kept scrolling.
By Nuriya Shoro6 years ago in The Swamp
