Earlier this week, I levied a critique of Baltimore’s slavish devotion to the ideology of Complete Streets which is being pushed by the bike advocacy group Bikemore. I argued that Complete Streets is a reductionistic transit philosophy that proclaims “equity” while ignoring the broader economic and material needs of redlined…

Time has come for me to go off on Baltimore’s White-oriented and White-dominated transit advocacy groups. These groups and advocates are the classic example of folks who THINK they are progressive and use equity as a buzzword all while ignoring what Black advocates are saying about Black mobility needs in…

Note: Originally published February 2, 2016 in Baltimore City Paper In this proposal, I outline seven separate but interrelated claims for reparations and restitutions that African-Americans are due in order for this country to help repair the trauma and damage of white supremacy inflicted on the population in a very…

In June 2020, my two living grandparents contracted the dreaded novel coronavirus. I drove down from Wisconsin to check on them and to help coordinate their care. I was scared and concerned regarding their health and well-being. Once I arrived in Crittenden County in Arkansas, my grandfather was hospitalized in…

Although infectious diseases are biological in form, they invariably take place in a social context. Hence, the best way to understand epidemics and outbreaks is to understand the social context in which they take place. …

The Coronapacalypse: Why COVID-19 Targets Redlined Black Neighborhoods in Hypersegregated Cities The coronavirus pandemic is currently ravaging America and ripping through redlined Black neighborhoods. In cities such as Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Buffalo, COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire. This is not random. Coronavirus - like nearly all diseases or conditions (be it HIV, toxic lead exposure…

Every time there’s a major violent crime by a Black youth from a disinvested, redlined community in Baltimore, one of the first questions I have is — were they lead poisoned? …

Almost 20 years ago, another mind-blowing sci-fi epic was released that encoded deep philosophical underpinnings — the Matrix. It’s a trilogy that can be viewed as big budget Hollywood thriller but also seen as representing or personifying philosophical arguments. The new Marvel movie Black Panther can also be understood in…

Baltimore is at a dangerous crossroads. When crime stays in Black neighborhoods, nobody really blinks. It’s normal for Black people to die because even in a Chocolate City like Baltimore, Black Lives don’t matter. But now highly visible violent crime is happening in White L neighborhoods like Canton, Mt. Vernon…