#john conyers

[mecthology]

The Legend of the Sockburn Worm.

The village lived in fear until a brave knight, Sir John Conyers, took on the task of slaying the fearsome beast. Armed with his falchion, a single-edged sword, Sir John battled the creature and ultimately triumphed in 1063, saving the village and becoming a symbol of courage and loyalty.

This sword, known as the Conyers Falchion, became central to a unique tradition in Durham. Whenever a new Bishop of Durham enters the diocese for the first time, the Mayor of Darlington presents the falchion to symbolize the historic bond between the Bishop and the Lords of Sockburn. The falchion is then returned to the mayor in a ceremonial gesture that preserves the connection to this ancient tale.

The Sockburn Worm legend is believed to have inspired Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky," and dragons feature prominently in the folklore of the North East. Stories of similar "worms" or dragon-like creatures appear throughout the region, reflecting the medieval struggle between good and evil. For centuries, dragons were seen as symbols of chaos and destruction, while knights like Sir John Conyers represented order and the protection of the land.

Source: wikipedia.org, www.thisisdurham.com, durhammagazine.co.uk, reed-ne.webspace.durham.ac.uk

Follow @mecthology for more legendary tales and myths.

[akajohnconyers]

Justice for Palestine

The horrific events of the Holocaust should have cemented the notion that genocide must never again be tolerated. Unquestionably, the Holocaust constituted genocide against Jews. But for "never again" to have real meaning, it must apply equally to Palestinians. Yet Israel's military campaign in Gaza, with US support, threatens this principle. Israel's heavy-handed response to Hamas rocket attacks paves the way for rising anti-Semitism worldwide. Bombing civilians and destroying infrastructure breeds further extremism. All peoples have the right to security, but killing innocents is an unjustifiable act of aggression.

All states have the right to defend their people. However, the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Gaza cannot be justified. As an intern at the Israeli embassy, I learned about efforts to build peace. Now those ideals seem abandoned as the government rejects accountability. The killing of innocents breeds more extremism, not long-term security. My time working at the Israeli embassy showed me Israel's immense creativity and drive to build a vibrant, innovative society. But its current approach squanders moral authority and global goodwill. Of course anti-Semitism must be condemned, and no country should face terror threats. However, the subjugation and dehumanization of Palestinians cannot be justified either.

As a friend of Israel, I feel conflicted. True friendship requires candor in challenging injustice, however uncomfortable for both sides. The subjugation and dehumanization of Palestinians mirrors the racism afflicting Black communities worldwide. I cannot ignore others' oppression and remain true to my principles. No government represents all of its people. Fifty-eight percent of Palestinians are under the age of 25. Fifty-eight percent! Of that fifty-eight, thirty-six percent is under the age of 15. Most Palestinians were not yet living when Hamas came to power. We must condemn Islamophobia as vigorously as anti-Semitism.

Israel has the right to thrive and Palestinians deserve self-determination - these should not be mutually exclusive. Yet decades of occupation have fueled resentment, with young Palestinians radicalized by experiencing devastation firsthand. American support for Israel cannot be a blank check for military action without limits. Diplomatic courage is needed to halt the violence and forge coexistence. 

Having known the sting of racism and dehumanization myself, I cannot concede to any similar treatment of another group. The humanity in all of us transcends tribal divisions. As a Black man in America, I have learned that progress emerges not from recrimination but from recognition of our shared dignity. Acknowledging injustice proves friendship's strength, not weakness. True security arises from justice and mutual understanding, not the illusion of force. If "never again" is to have meaning, it must encompass every child who deserves to live without fear.

[ammg-old]

Broach the topic of reparations today and a barrage of questions inevitably follows: Who will be paid? How much will they be paid? Who will pay? But if the practicalities, not the justice, of reparations are the true sticking point, there has for some time been the beginnings of a solution. For the past 25 years, Congressman John Conyers Jr., who represents the Detroit area, has marked every session of Congress by introducing a bill calling for a congressional study of slavery and its lingering effects as well as recommendations for “appropriate remedies.”

A country curious about how reparations might actually work has an easy solution in Conyers’s bill, now called HR 40, the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. We would support this bill, submit the question to study, and then assess the possible solutions. But we are not interested.

“It’s because it’s black folks making the claim,” Nkechi Taifa, who helped found N’COBRA, says. “People who talk about reparations are considered left lunatics. But all we are talking about is studying [reparations]. As John Conyers has said, we study everything. We study the water, the air. We can’t even study the issue? This bill does not authorize one red cent to anyone.”

That HR 40 has never—under either Democrats or Republicans—made it to the House floor suggests our concerns are rooted not in the impracticality of reparations but in something more existential. If we conclude that the conditions in North Lawndale and black America are not inexplicable but are instead precisely what you’d expect of a community that for centuries has lived in America’s crosshairs, then what are we to make of the world’s oldest democracy?

– The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

John Conyers’ long career is a window on the decline of Black politics in the two generations since the demise of the mass Black movement.

By Glen Ford

John Conyers passed away at age 90 this week, the sixth longest-serving U.S. Representative in history, having spent more than half a century representing Detroit, and the longest-serving Black congressperson, by far.

As a standard-bearer of the progressive Black petit bourgeoisie, attorney Conyers was the best of the early Congressional Black Caucus, which he helped found in 1971 along with 12 other lawmakers. Conyers was already on President Nixon’s enemies list , a distinction he shared with fellow Black congressman Ron Dellums, of California.

[hueynewtonjr]

Detroit (2017)

[npr]

Conyers Resigning Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

The move by the longtime Democratic congressman from Michigan came after top House Democrats and the House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had all called on him to resign.

[resistdrumpf]

Some shit that went down today, December 5th, 2017: Day 320

Rep. John Conyers, the longest-serving member of Congress, resigns after being accused of sexual harassment.

Arrests along the Mexican border have fallen at the same time as deportations have increased.

Former White House aide Kirstjen Nielsen is confirmed as Homeland Security secretary.

[deadpresidents]

should conyers resign?

Oh, god, yes. And if he doesn’t resign, the Democratic leadership should strip him of all seniority and every perk he’s accumulated after a half-century of incumbency. Make him work out of a broom closet with the freshmen members of Congress and force him to wear oven mitts on the floor of the House of Representatives since he’s one of these many, many dudes who seemingly can’t control themselves when around women.