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Politics of Loss Dr. Walter Greason Norristown Times Herald 26 August 2014 The Congressional Black Caucus has failed its mission in spectacular fashion since 1971.  No evidence of this failure is more pronounced than the absence of new industries owned by African Americans, especially in comparatively affluent suburbs across the United States.  The ambiguous mission of the…

(preview) Fear of a Black Suburb Dr. Walter Greason BKNation 26 August 2014 —- Ferguson, Missouri, is not a city, despite many misstatements to that effect over the last few weeks.  It is a suburb – a residential community on the fringe of a larger urban center.  In regional context, Ferguson represents a pronounced, generational…

NO LOCAL GOVERNMENT Dr. Walter Greason Norristown Times Herald 19 August 2014 —- Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, is similar to St. Louis County, Missouri. Thousands of suburban communities nationwide must be on notice after the events in Ferguson over the last week. The police forces in these places have increasingly used expanded budgets since 2001 to…

Cries of “Free Palestine” ring out from every corner of the world.  The horrific images of dead and maimed children mark another round of pointless debate about how to resolve the conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors.  Pundits from all sides of the issue rehash arguments that stretch back to the legitimacy of creating a Jewish…

What does it mean to be ‘white?’ The range of synonyms has evolved constantly over the last five centuries.  While ideas like rationality, objectivity, masculinity, and mastery remain at the foundations of the construct, institutions of higher education have been pioneers in the refinement of white identity.    Areas of study like History, English Literature, and European Philosophy…

LeBron James is determined to become the first billionaire athlete in the history of American sports.  This goal is the centerpiece of his recent return to northeastern Ohio for the remainder of his career.  It is also a goal that is too small for his brand.  LeBron has to think beyond Dave Bing and Magic Johnson and Shaquille…

Testing has become the key concept in American education, and it threatens to overtake the ideal of an open society around the world.  People love to hold everyone else accountable, while constantly fighting the surveillance and oversight for themselves.  This hypocrisy hinges on the desire for control.  It is the antithesis of personal freedom, but the absolute definition…

Before Selma Dr. Walter Greason Norristown Times Herald 8 July 2014 Norristown’s history is closely related to the events of the American Revolution.  The summer celebrations offer an important time to reflect on the meaning of freedom, especially given the town’s proximity to Philadelphia.  Too many people overlook the importance of Philadelphia to British North America, and…

Build Brooklyn: A Global Strategy Dr. Walter Greason BKNation 8 July 2014 The Dow Jones Industrial Average just surged above 17,000 points for the first time in its history.  Unemployment has dipped back to the levels it achieved in 2008.  Minimum wage increases are the hot political issue for the summer.  New companies are rising around the world,…

Norristown Reborn? Dr. Walter Greason Norristown Times Herald 24 June 2014 Norristown’s local officials are taking substantial action to bring new businesses to the area.  Despite vocal complaints about new firms growing in surrounding communities, the council has begun to break longstanding patterns of missed opportunities and faulty development deals with efforts like “Five Saints…